The One True Queen
by TheTransfiguredCanary
Summary: In the future of the great pony war all of Equestria is enslaved by princess Celestia. In order to stop this horrid future from happening a young cross-eyed filly named Doohickey leaps back in time. Armed with knowledge She and a mismatched band of heroes will save what everypony believes is lost. !WARNING!: Fem Slash and Slash! don't read if your just gonna complain about it!:{(
1. Prologue

A/N: So I've had some complaints so I'm posting a warning here

LATER ON IN THE FIC THEIR WILL BE FEM SLASH BETWEEN SEVERAL BACKGROUND CHARACTERS AND WELL AS TWO OF THE MANE SIX!

THERE WILL ALSO BE REFERENCE TO SLASH BETWEEN A SECONDARY CHARACTER AND SOME OTHER UNNAMED PONY!

There we go, it's here so you can't complain about how I didn't warn you. Any more complaints and I'm citing this.

Enough of that annoying stuff that I have to do because half the world are bigots let us begin!

* * *

Prologue: Avante…

The sound of hooves beating solid ground was cut through every so often by the crack of a whip and the shout of 'FASTER!' the desolate world had no colour aside from the ponies coats, no joy aside from the joking of the guards above, no pony wore a smile. It was into this world that Doohickey was born one evening just as the moon had reached it's height her father had been there holding her mothers hoof smiling those half smiles that took place of the real ones. Doohickey loved her mum and dad. They made her who she was. She got her blue eyes from both of them. The colour from her father the cross ness from her mother. And her mother predicted that if she saw more cheerful sunlight she'd have her father's coat as well instead of the dull grey brown. Her mane and tale were like her parents as well. Her father said it was like custard and burnt fish sticks

'A personal favourite of mine.'

'Dear… that's just… gross.'

'Don't buck till you try it my dearest.'

'Right, sure.'

Doohickey liked herself just the way she was. Many older ponies she met said she would have liked the times before the war, they say it would have been better for her to grow up then instead of the waste like state of Equestria now but Doohickey didn't know anything else, sure it was cold, dark, depressing and downright sad, but she could find a bit of happiness, she went home to loving parents each day. She saw the same people every morning and evening. Life was just fine for now…

Her life was about to take a drastic turn for the worse…

"You there!"

"Yes sir?"

"Where is your stallion and foal!"

"My daughter is sick sir, and I'm taking my husbands load today…"

"You did that yesterday! He has to come out like everypony else!"

"Alright… I'll go get him…"

"Good! You there! Pull that haul faster!" the blond mare cringed as she flew away fro the line of ponies hauling heavy debris to help repair Canterlot and increase the army. She heard a cry and looked back to see a small filly collapse under a barrel a purple unicorn stood over the fallen child

"Get up! You useless waste of space get up and haul that load!" the filly didn't move. "She dead" another pony, this time a blue Pegasus with a rainbow hued mane. She said these words plainly as if commenting on a broken tool

"Too bad, another pony will need to fill her place if we want to keep a schedule." An orange earth pony said behind both of them with a sneer. The small orange Pegasus next to her wore more of a grimace then a sneer but didn't shed a tear. The grey Pegasus watched this scene with tears in her crossed eyes. How many foals had to die before this ended. Suddenly there was a bright flash in the sky. Many ponies blinked at the light. There in the sky was queen Celestia followed by four empirical guards.

"WHERE IS THE CROSS EYED MARE AND THE STALLION WHO RUNS!" Celestia cried out in royal fury. Ditzy's eyes widened. With that she ran as fast as her crossed eyes and clumsy hooves would let her. At the guards flew after her she made a split second decision and took two corners. As the guards flew passed her she placed an eye patch over her wonky eye, one she had not worn in years, and whizzed passed the guards and fast, as her wings would let her. She burst through the door of a run down house.

"Doctor! Doctor, Celestia is after us! Doohickey! Where are you guys?"

Upstairs a brown earth pony coughed deeply. He moved his hoof away from his mouth and sighed at the droplets of red on his coat. He shakily leaned his forehead on the mirror and tied his green tie.

"One more day…" he said in a breathy voice. The door creaked open

"Papa? Papa what's wrong?" his daughter asked innocently. He smiled weakly.

"Nothing's wrong my dearest Doohick-" he coughed heavily and his legs wobbled.

"Papa, are you sure your alright?" his daughter asked worriedly. He looked at his daughter before turning away.

"Doctor!" his wife called on the floor below "Doctor, they're coming!" he pulled open his drawer and coughed again. He wiped his mouth and stared at his matted fur. He sighed.

"Doohickey… I want you to have something." The stallion turned and held out a strange key on a deep blue string. The filly looked at it in awe

"What is it for?" she asked excitedly. The stallion smiled at his daughter's curiosity something she most certainly got from him.

"It is the key to something very special. Ask your mother, go on." His daughter smiled and dashed for the door. She stopped and turned to her father.

"You are coming down right?" she asked innocently. He smiled sadly.

"I'll be right down. " she smiled and trotted off. A tear rolled down his check. "I'm so sorry ditzy…" he coughed again a glob of blood falling on the floor. "You'll see it all Doohickey, all of space and time…" he collapsed to the floor with the light thump. "Sorry folks, the doctors out…" with this last thought the doctor closed his eyes and took one last shaky breath. Downstairs Doohickey ran to the wall of the landing.

"Ow."

"Doohickey, what have a told you about flying in the house!" ditzy scolded her daughter. She was so excited she didn't even notice.

"Look at what papa gave me mom!" Doohickey said showing her mother the key around her neck. Ditzy's eye widened and filled with tear. She pulled her daughter to her chest and cried into her mane.

"Mama? Why are you crying?"

"Doohickey, we're leaving."

"What about papa?"

"He… he can't come." Ditzy said sadly. Doohickey realized what her mother meant and her own eyes filled with tears.

"NO! Your lying, I just was talking to him, he's fine!" Doohickey turned to go see her father and ditzy held her back.

"I'm so sorry Doohickey, but we have to go, it's our only chance." Ditzy lead her daughter out the back and the galloped towards the everfree forest.

"We're going in there!" Doohickey cried out in fear

"We have to, it's where it's hidden." Ditzy said cryptically. They galloped through the under brush Doohickey not letting her straight eye leaving her mother, lest she get lost in the dangerous woods. At last ditzy slowed to a stop and pulled a few bushes aside and walked threw a forth. Doohickey held her breath and walked through herself. As she entered the clearing her mouth dropped open. In the centre on the clearing was a blue phone booth covered in vines, moss growing on one side, and more vines being cleared away by her mother on the front. There was a symbol on the front that read Celestia order of healers certified. And a sign that read 'toll free booth. Use for emergencies. Direct line to Cantelot guard tower. Pull to open'. Doohickey held the handle and pulled. Nothing happened. She held up the key on her neck to the lock. She put it in and turned. It clicked. She smiled and tried the door again.

"Urrrgggg!" her hooves slipped and she fell backwards. Her mother leaned over her.

"It's a push door." She said with a sad smile.

"But it says pull to open." Doohickey said. Ditsy pulled on the small handle on the panel with the sign. It opened and revealed a telephone. "Oh…" she pushed open the door. And her mouth dropped open again. "It's… it's b-b-bhaaa…"

"Bigger on the inside?" ditzy asked smiling with tears in her eyes. Doohickey was so shocked her only nodded. Ditzy let a single tear fall from her eyes. Doohickey walked forward and looked at the console.

"It's like papa's old nursery rhymes isn't it. 'Turn the knob and twist the thing, flip the switch and pull for a ring' he was teaching me how to use this… what is this?" Doohickey said sadly.

"It's called the Tardis… it's a time machine." Ditzy said. Doohickey turned to her mother in shock. Her eyes brightened, I can go back in time and save papa!" she ran around the console.

"No Doohickey." Her mother said firmly. Doohickey stopped and looked at her mother. "Your father didn't teach you how to use it so you could save him, he taught you so you could run away."

"But!"

"No, you take this and you go somewhere far away, somewhere safe." Ditzy said. Doohickey looked sad but nodded and looked for the controls.

"Three quarter turn counter clockwise. Twist this 25 degrees to the right. Now where's the switch. Oh here it is." As her daughter fiddled the controls ditzy waited. "Okay mom, we're all se… mama! What are you doing?" ditzy closed the door as her daughter tried to open it.

"I'm sorry Doohickey, but some one has to stop them from finding you." Ditzy said before flying to the sky as the Tardis below her began to fade. The sky was dark and moody but as she flew a few rays of sun broke threw the clouds lighting her up. _I'm so sorry Doohickey. Our torch is too big for you _"hey you big lumps! Come and get me!" she screamed at the guards who were below her searching through the underbrush. They whipped into the sky chasing her all over the forest. _Doctor. _She did a few loop de loops to throw them off _Doohickey._ At last she flew over Ponyville her friends turned their eyes to the sky and watched her. Fluttershy covered her eyes. _And all of Equestria, know that we loved you. _She stood still for a fraction of a second and was slammed into the ground by rainbow dash.

"Thank you commander rainbow dash." One of the guards said

"Don't mention it." She said holding ditzy down even though she wasn't struggling. Celestia walked up to her.

"The cross-eyed mare, I saw your husband, but where is your daughter?" she asked. Ditzy smiled.

"She's gone." She said happily. Celestia's eyes widened.

"NO! YOU'RE LYING!" Celestia said slamming her hoof into Ditzy's face. She rolled over a few times and laughed.

"Things not going according to your plan Celestia?" she said smirking. Celestia's face and eye twitched in madness.

"Twilight! This pony is to be executed immediately to set an example for every pony else!" she screamed.

"Yes your highness." Twilight said restraining ditzy with magic. She was brought to a guillotine on the edge of Ponyville as all of the citizens were gathered. Many were in tears as ditzy was placed in the frame. An orange Pegasus guard stood by the lever.

"Do you have any last words you wish to speak?" he asked sadly.

"…Avante…" was all she said. The guillotine shined as it whizzed down the frame.

A/N: Hello Every pony! Hi! Hey! Hello! Nice to meet you! Hi, how are you? Can I see your I.D.? Wait a second…WHAT IS THIS! READ THE SIGN **points at sign which reads 'NO HATERS ALOWED!"**

Just a friendly reminded, CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, I get that haters gonna hate, but I don't need your hating, I need help.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Andiamo! Or The Time Travelling Pony

Thump!

"Eek! What is this anyway?" Doohickey focused both her eyes " 'Italian to English dictionary'… why is this even here?!" she shouted tossing it away. The Tardis had not been used in a very long time; as such certain things were taking awhile to turn on or had been turned off to save energy. One of those things was the artificial gravity.

"AHHH!" an anvil BANG!"WHAT! Uh-oh!" a flower pot SMASH! "That was close… oh come on…" a piano CRASH! "THIS PLACE IS DANGEROUS!" suddenly a huge wave of water rushed her way "I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE!" Doohickey screamed before dashing o the console and pushing random buttons, the door shut

"Okay calm down Doohickey, use that intellect your known for. It can't be that hard…" she looked at the many buttons and knobs and switches. "Then again maybe it is." Suddenly the Tardis tipped over and everything began sliding downward. Suddenly a book she had not notice in a compartment that had passed her eye slid out of it's holding but a chain attached to the console kept it in hooves reach "what's this?" the cover was covered in circles and triangles yet as Doohickey's eyes focused she could clearly read it. "Instruction Manual, glory to Luna above! Thank you!" she quickly flipped through the pages before slamming her hoof down. She felt a bit dizzy with all the things she'd read. She shook her head banishing her thought and quickly read over the page she had stopped at. She rushed over to the console book in hoof. "This switch," flick "this button," boop "that button," beep "and pull." She pulled down on the switch that looked like a lever. There was a whirling sound "oops… actually, that noise is kind of neat." She laughed before opening the inner doors again. A puddle of water rushed in. "ah man." She said looking at the waterlogged state of the hallway. There was a thumping sound followed by another whirl. The light outside flickered on and off before settling on a bright yellow colour. Doohickey stared at it in wonder. She went back to the console. She put the book away in its place. She took the key her father had given her and weaved it into her braid and tightened her bow. She walked up to the things that had tumbled all over the floor. She straightened them out, leaving them where they were as she was no strong enough to move the anvil, flowerpot, or piano. She picked up the dictionary and looked at the page that was opened, one word jumped up at her

**_Andiamo_**\- (An-Dee-yah-Mo)

Verb. (Let us go, Let's go!)

**1**An exclamation of joy, adventure, and curiosity.

"Let us go have an adventure!"

**2**An exclamation in intimidation

"'Let's go!' he said angrily brandishing his boxing gloves"

**3**A command

"'Let's go, son!' the mother said dragging her son by the hand."

She Smiled as she thought of the word. She walked up to the door after putting the book away.

"… Andiamo." She whispered before opening the door. She squinted at the light and walked through the door. As she closed it the screen above the console went red. The lights began to flash red as well.

"Paradox Imminent. Paradox Imminent "

* * *

Outside Doohickey was too preoccupied with what she was seeing to notice the Tardis shuddering ominously. Hundreds of ponies were walking around her, all of them smiling. The sun was shining and Doohickey could her a light twittering the background. She realized that t was birds. BIRDS! She had heard stories about birds from aunty Fluttershy. She looked up to the sky and saw shimmering purple and yellow top on pearly white towers, white fluffy clouds and pegasi flying freely.

" I'm in Canterlot," she said excitedly. "I'M IN CANTERLOT! Whoop!" she screamed before flopping on her back happily. She laughed and let her eyes fill with joy. Suddenly a shadow fell over her

"'ello! What are you doing on the ground small child?" a British voice called out happily. Doohickey's eyes whipped open

"Papa?" she asked excitedly.

"Oh I'm sorry, no I'm not your father… are you lost little one?" the brown stallion asked worriedly. Doohickey stared up at her soon to be father. She smiled sadly.

"No, I'm just excited. I've never been to Canterlot before." She was telling the truth too. In her future Cantelot had been renamed Celestlana, in honor of their 'fair' and 'just' queen.

"Oh! Well neither have we… wait, yes we have! With the cyiiider mishap, yes, cider." The doctor said smiling weakly. Doohickey could see her mother waving her hooves back and forth very quickly shaking her head. Doohickey turned slightly.

"Why are you doing that?" she asked. Ditzy saw her crossed eyes.

"Oh wow! You have disscycrose myopia too! Wow I've never met another pony with the same eyes as me, my name is Ditzy, what's yours?" she asked Doohickey smiled completely forgetting about the hoof waving.

"My name is Doohickey."

"Aw well that's adorable! I'm the doctor!" the Doctor said smiling. Doohickey eyed him with a smirk, now she could get her answer.

"_Doctor Who_?" Doohickey asked. The Doctor laughed

"Just the Doctor!" he said bouncing around happily. Ditzy just rolled her eyes. Doohickey stood there with her mouth open. Seriously! That was it! She puffed out a breath of air angrily.

"You just chuffed! Ahaha!" the doctor said holding his stomach. She pointed her nose I the air and walked forward a few steps, where she ran into a lamppost.

"Ow." She said rubbing her nose.

"Oh gosh are you alright little one." The doctor asked suddenly feeling bad. Doohickey stared at his sudden mood shift. She rubbed her nose

"I'm okay." She ran her hoof under her nose.

"Oh gosh! Your nose is bleeding!" Ditzy said nervously. Doohickey looked at her hoof.

"Oops." She said before holding her hoof under her nose to catch the blood.

"Hold still I'll be right back!" the doctor shouted running around the corner.

"DOCTOR! Wait up! And he's gone… ugh." Ditzy said with a huff sitting next to Doohickey. "He is so confusing, one minute he's an adult, marveling at the attention to detail in a piece of architecture or a painting, the next he's a little kid slurping soda through a straw and colouring outside the lines. It's exhausting… god I love him." She looked at Doohickey who was smiling wide and blushed like a tomato. She looked as the doctor galloped around the corner holding a purple cloth.

"Here you go, wipe up your nose with that. Don't worry the jacket was horrible tacky." he said Doohickey noticed there was a pocket on the piece of cloth. Doohickey shrugged and wiped her nose. "So! How is it that you came to Canterlot? Where are your parents?" Doohickey suddenly got very quiet and sad. Ditzy and the doctor looked at each other. The Doctor suddenly looked very sad as well. He sat beside Doohickey. "I don't have a family anymore either. " suddenly he was holding an armful of young Pegasus. Doohickey cried silently into the Doctor's shoulder. Ditzy looked at Doohickey with tears in her eyes. When Doohickey was done crying she pulled away and wiped her eyes.

"My…eccentric aunt is here, she's seeing her psychiatrist, she gave me a bunch of bits and said to go have a day."

"Oh I see, and what do you have planned for this day of yours?" the doctor asked quietly making sure to be properly mature for the young filly.

"Well… my mother was always telling me about the times her and my papa went to Canterlot. She said my papa would buy one of those disposable cameras and they would take pictures every where, then they would buy ice cream." Doohickey said smiling at the memory of her mother animatedly talking about those days waving her hooves in the air as her papa laughed and laughed smiling at her mother with so much love. Then her face screwed up "course then they would start making cow eyes at each other because they would go up to one of the Canterlot gardens and kiss while the sun set. yek" Doohickey said sticking out her tongue.

"Yuck, and they told you that, parental omission thank you very much." The Doctor said shuddering. Ditzy sighed.

"That sounds very romantic." She said. Looking at the Doctor dreamily. The Doctor didn't even notice. He was in deep thought.

"You know what Doohickey my young friend, I say let's go have one of your parents days! With out the kissing at sunset of course. Uuk." The doctor said shuddering. He stood and looked at Doohickey. "What do you say?" Doohickey's eyes filled with tears and she hugged the doctor again

"Thank you…" she whispered against his chest.

"Alright enough crying, no more tears! We've got an adventure to begin! Avante!" he said happily before galloping off. Doohickey's jaw dropped again

"Did he just speak in Italian?"

"Yep, he says it's his catch phrase, but I don't know what he's catching." Ditzy said sighing. Doohickey giggled

"He's catching laughter! Andiamo!" she shouted before galloping after the Doctor. Ditzy blinked before smiling and zipping after the filly and stallion. The Doctor and Doohickey where now engaged in a race. Doohickey was winning because she could weave through the legs of the grown up ponies fast where as the doctor had to hold back and let others pass before he could catch up. By the time Doohickey got to the tourist stop the doctor was gasping for breath

"Goodness gracious…huff… and here I thought I could run fast…whew… no dalek could catch you… uhh."

" What's a dalek?"

"Hmm, what are you talking about, ooh look! Postcards! I've always loved post cards! Excuse me miss, how much for one of those disposable cameras?" he said reaching into his pocket

"Four bits." The teen pony said chewing on a piece of gum. The Doctor smiled and threw the bits on the counter

"Thanks a bunch." he said picking up one of the camera's. He took a picture of Ditzy and she flew around the corner. The flash made her blink rapidly. She stumbled slightly bumping into a fruit stand and two ponies walking by. There was fruit all over the ground and the two ponies were sprawled over. Ditzy looked around and winced.

"Oops."Ditzy said, mirroring Doohickey's earlier words. The Doctor winced too.

"I think we should get going, come one Ditzy!" He shouted before him the Doohickey galloped away. Ditzy eeped and flew after them. When they got far enough away. Doohickey started laughing. As her laughter drew on the Doctor joined her. Soon the two were rolling on the floor guffawing with joy. Ditzy put her hoof to her face and shook it. Over the course of the day decorum became a 3-syllable word and mischief was lifeblood. Doohickey had never had so much fun, the doctor felt more like a child then usual and Ditzy swore that BOTH of her eyes were spinning. She was also sure that there may or may not have been a warrant out for the two foals arrest by the end of the day. Which, Ironically, was ending with a trip to the castle.

"…and over here is the hall of history, named so because the windows in the hall each show a different chapter in equestrian history." The guide pony said smiling.

"Would you look at that! Oo! Look Ditzy! Remember that?! That was fun!" The Doctor said gesturing to the window that pictured nightmare moon being defeated by princess twilight and her friends. He turned to Doohickey, who was no longer in Canterlot. She was staring at the empirical window in Celestlana. The window in Canterlot showed the two sisters controlling the moon and sun in a symbol of peace. In Celestlana it showed Celestia, coloured white and gold, surrounded by red and yellow as every pony bowed down to her. Above her was the sun the moon and the stars. Below her the words

_'The just ruler of all things, may she shine her light upon us all.'_

_'Long live Celestia, the one true queen.'_

Doohickey had seen the window only once; she had been forced to watch as her father was whipped for attempting to flee by Celestia herself. To save herself the trauma Doohickey had watched through her rolling eye instead and had gazed the empirical window until the sound of the whip stopped. She memorized every detail of it, and seeing where it would stand reminded Doohickey of the horrors this world would face.

"Doohickey…" The Doctor said snapping Doohickey out of her stupor. Suddenly there was a bang like a explosion and the whole castle shook. The three ponies dashed out to see what was happening.

"DO NOT FORCE MY HOOF LUNA!" Celestia bellowed in fury.

"YOU ARE THE ONE FORCING MY HOOF CELESTIA!" Luna shrieked back. Suddenly Celestia roared and fired a blast of magic at Luna, throwing her across the hall, where she skidded to a halt and struggled to stand.

"As of today, you are no longer welcome in Canterlot, Luna. You are a traitor of the state." Suddenly three guard ponies flanked Celestia. Luna looked at them all in horror before Luna turned to Celestia, tears welling in her eyes.

"Tia…"

"Enough, Guards, finish her." The all fired their weapon at her, but she was displaced from that spot in seconds. She flew down the hall of history The Doctor and Ditzy watching from a hiding place while Doohickey watched from the hall. Luna blasted the widow of peace; the symbolism not lost on Doohickey, and flew out the window. From her perch Doohickey could see Luna's mouth moving, it looked like she was apologizing to Equestria, before she turned and flew off to the horizon. Doohickey's eyes widened in horror, as she remembered her mother's words

_"The war really started with Luna's banishment." Ditzy said looking sad "your father and I were just to foalish to see that…"_

"WHAT! The Tardis was supposed to take me away from the war, not to the beginning of it!" Doohickey said hitting her hoof with her face, annoyance dominating her emotional spectrum. Suddenly she was lifted from the rubble by a guard pony.

"Er, your highness, what d'ya want to do with this one?" the guard pony asked holding her up she smiled weakly.

"Just toss her out with the other two." Celestia said glaring at her. Doohickey looked over to see the Doctor being held up by two Pegasus guards. He waved at her. Ditzy was being held by to unicorns. She looked a bit annoyed at the Doctor but did nothing else. They were all tossed out by the guards unto the front path.

"Well, that was certainly unexpected." Ditzy said

"Most definitely, worth looking into too."

"Definitely, I just don't see what they could have been talking about to make Luna so upset."

"Well, perhaps she was over-reacting a bit."

"Well, yeah, Luna is known to over react." Ditzy said recalling the nightmare night festival

"But still Celestia banishing her sister, it doesn't add up, she wasn't even attacking."

"True, Celestia was the one with all the fire power."

"Luna is attacked for nothing at all and is banished… why do I get the sickening feeling I've heard this story before…" the Doctor said sadly looking at the sky the sun was setting. Wherever Luna was she was still in control of her magic, because the stars were beginning to appear and the dark was growing. "Well, the day is done, best get going back to your aunt Doohickey." He turned to see she wasn't there any more. Ditzy gasped

"Doohickey! Where are you?!"

"Doohickey!"

Blocks away, a mare and her foal stopped to look down an alley; she could have sworn she saw a bright flash of light out of the corner of her eye.

* * *

A/N: please note! This is ssssooooooo a one off. This will definitely not happen again, 2 chapters in 1-day? pffffttttttttt!


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

A Horrible Beginning or Equestria at War

"Come ON!" Doohickey slammed the console as the Tardis shook again. The red lights were flashing and the female voice was repeating the phrase

"Paradox Imminent. Paradox Imminent."

"I know this already! Tell me something I don't know!" Doohickey cried trying to steady her self on the rumbling floor. She took out the manual. "In case of Paradox, turn off Temporal engine and switch to emergency power…That only works if I'm not traveling threw space and time. UGH!" she tried to throw the book but the chain held strong. Suddenly the Tardis gave an almighty shudder and the whirling noise sounded. Doohickey took the chance and waited just as the light out side stopped fading she slammed down two switches. The Tardis gave one last shudder before the entire system shut down. It groaned out in a lonesome call before Doohickey was plunged into semi-darkness broken only by the grey light coming from the twelve windows on the front door. She sighed and walked up to it. She opened the door and was instantly sorry she did. She was definitely still in Canterlot, but the sky was filled with grey clouds and the spattering of rain painted a gloomy picture. Her ears drooped. " Isn't this just the picture of cheer…" she walked out into the street. There were fewer ponies on the street then the last time she was here, and the ones that were out and about seemed shifty eyed and worried. She stopped at a new stand. One headline caught her attention.

**TROTTINGHAM MASSACRE **

**Hundreds of Innocent Ponies Killed**

**Guards Claim it to be the Work of Luna**

Doohickey's eyes widened in horror. Above the article was a picture of the city of Trottingham in ruins with the corpses of ponies strewn about. Doohickey squeezed her eyes shut.

"Good Galiphrey! Doohickey?" a familiar voice said above her. Doohickey turned and saw the Doctor and Ditzy. They both looked Shocked and worried.

"Hello Doctor…" Doohckey said quietly

"Whatever are you doing here this time?" the Doctor asked as Ditzy came over and held her umbrella over the three of them

"My aunt and I moved here… she didn't feel safe in Fillydalphia anymore… if Trottingham was attacked, why wouldn't Fillydalphia be attacked too."

"I see…" The Doctor said. Doohickey Sneezed, the Doctor held out an orange scrap of fabric. Doohickey blew her nose, and then looked at the fabric.

"Hang on… is this from the same tacky jacket?"

"Yes… I don't know why I even had the jacket made, it was garish, and honestly none of the other me's had taste…" Ditzy punched the Doctor in the side, hard. "OOF! Ouch! Ditzy what was that for? I think you've bruised my ribs." The Doctor said holding a hoof to his side. Doohickey looked at the doctor strangely

"Other you's?" she asked

"What? Whatever are you talking about?" the Doctor asked. Doohickey glared a bit. Suddenly something out of the corner of her crossed eye caught her attention. She turned and looked at the sky.

"Is it just me, or are those clouds more ominous then the others…" the Doctor and Ditzy turned to the clouds. The Doctor gulped

"Oh dear…" Suddenly a shape burst out of the clouds. It rose into the sky and hovered as the clouds cleared Princess Luan was visible in all her glory. Her eyes were glowing like Lamplights and she was not happy.

"CELESTIA! TOO LONG YOU HAVE HIDDEN IN YOUR CASTLE, CAUSING TERRIBLE CRIMES AND BLAMING THEM ON US! TOO LONG YOU HAVE MURDERED INNOCENT PONIES FOR THE SAKE OF POWER! TOO LONG YOU HAVE GONE UNGUDGED! YOU HAVE ONE HOUR TO COME MEET US AS EQUALS! IF YOU DO NOT APPEAR BEFORE US BY THAT TIME WE WILL BURN CANTERLOT TO THE GROUND!" with that said she dived beneath the clouds again and disappeared from sight

"OH DEAR!" the Doctor said again loudly before galloping away. Ditzy and Doohickey followed.

"What's the plan?" Ditzy called out. The city of Canterlot was in chaos; ponies were in the street fleeing from their homes and the city, screaming in terror.

"Find Celestia, convince her to meet Luna, divert the attack!"

"And if that doesn't work?" Ditzy asked as a crazed citizen knocked over a fruit stand, which she narrowly dodged.

"Plan B." the Doctor said skidding around a corner.

"What's Plan B?" Ditzy asked

"Still working on it!" the Doctor cried out as they ran towards the castle.

"How can I help?" Doohickey shouted. Both the Doctor and Ditzy skidded to a halt in shock.

"What! Why did… oh never mind, the only way you can help is by finding your aunt and leaving Canterlot!" the Doctor said.

"But!"

"No buts! You're too young to be fighting this fight. You need to go home." Ditzy said putting a hoof on Doohickey's shoulder. "Besides, the Doctor and I have too much to worry about with out adding your safety to the list."

"She's right. Go on, off you trot… ha I just said off you trot! That's hilarious!"

"Doctor! Stay on topic!"

"Right!" the Doctor and Ditzy turned and ran a ways to the castle gate before two white Guard ponies stopped them.

"No pony is allowed in by order of Princess twilight."

"Oh! They're here! Well that's good… alright Plan B!" the doctor said as both he and Ditzy galloped off.

"What is Plan B?!" ditzy cried out in fear

"Find Luna, and convince her not to destroy Canterlot! Oh what a great day this is turning into!" Meanwhile. Doohickey had decided to do some investigating of her own. She bypassed the two guards and flew to the palace windows; she looked in each one before she found the room where Celestia was meeting the Elements of Harmony.

* * *

"I don't Like it Twilight… It just ain't right… I don't think we can just blindly follow Celestia no more. She hasn't really been making the right decisions." The orange earth pony, Applejack said uncertainly

" She's the princess, and she has been the princess for a long time, she knows what she's doing Applejack." The purple Alicorn, Twilight said angrily.

"I am going Down and Talking With Luna, Some pony ahs to go talk some sense into her!" the White Unicorn, Rarity said before strutting out of the room and closing the door. Celestia turned her head a fraction of an inch. She was listening intently t the sounds of the ponies in the room with her. She could see them all reflected back in the window.

"Oh twilight, do you really think that Luna will burn down Canterlot?"

"I don't know Fluttershy… but it didn't sound like she had her reservations, besides an hour is plenty of time for the citizen to flee, I don't think she means to hurt anypony."

"That's right, every time we've seen her, she's never meant fur anypony to be harmed, heck, she's been helping them. This Attack is fur Celestia and Celestia alone." Applejack whispered. With this whispered comment they all turned to Celestia, it appeared as though she hadn't heard them. Suddenly a Guard Pony burst in.

"Princess twilight, there's a… er… Delegate her for you."

"Coming, I'll be right back girls." Twilight said before trotting after the guard. Suddenly Luna's voice boomed through the city like thunder.

"CELESTIA! I SEE YOU HAVE SENT A PONY TO SPEAK TO US! OR DID SHE COME OF HER OWN VIOLITION? EITHER WAY IT MATTERS NOT! YOUR HOUR IS ALMOST UP! COME BEFORE US LEST THERE BE WAR!" Everypony turned to Celestia in worry. She appeared unshaken by her sister's words. Doohickey shuddered at the queen's stillness. In her time it always precluded the most horrible acts of violence. Doohickey turned her head towards the windows of history and saw that the window of peace had been boarded up as apposed to being replaced. She breathed out a sigh of relief. It was immediately followed by a scream. Doohickey looked to see Applejack being held up by Celestia's magic as she drained a smoky orange substance out from the earth pony's mouth and nose. Rainbow dash was on the ground being held down. Fluttershy was cowering in a corner while pinkie pie stood off to the side, her hair completely deflated with furious tears streaming down her face. Doohickey couldn't tear her eyes away, even as fireballs fell from the heavens and bat ponies descended upon the city killing the white guards with ease. Celestia had moved unto Rainbow Dash, draining an equally smoky red substance from her as Twilight returned, galloping into the room with fear.

"Luna is attackin…" she gasped as Celestia turned to her, lavender eyes flashing evilly. Doohickey watched as Twilight was incapacitated, held against the wall with magic. Applejack was beginning to stir, and Doohickey could see that her eyes were a dull lifeless grey, before they slowly returned to a normal, if not slightly darker, hue. Suddenly there was a sound as the doors were beaten down. Luna burst into the room with rarity and a legion of dark coated guards and bat ponies. They all froze and flattened their ears as the watched. Celestia suck a smoky pink substance from Twilight. There was a flash of light and Twilight's wings vanished off her body. Celestia spread her own wings and opened her eyes, which now featured cat like slits, and turned to Luna. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie fled from the room in tears, Pinkie in anger, Fluttershy in fear. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and a newly Standing Twilight Sparkle turned to the intruders.

"Get them." Was all Celestia said before the three ponies took attacking stances. Luna took one look at the scene and said one word.

"Run." With that she and the rest of her company ran. Doohickey too, fled from the scene, she flew as fast as her growing wings could carry her, know that this was only the beginning.

* * *

Below The Doctor and Ditzy were helping civilians escape. More fireballs were falling from the sky.

"Doctor!" Ditzy was interrupted by an explosion "Doctor we have to go now!" the doctor tuned to her. Suddenly a legion of Luna Soldiers including Rarity ran by, followed by Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, Followed by Luna herself.

"Doctor! Celestia has gone mad! Flee, before she find you as well!" was all Luna cried before jumping onto one of the carts rigged to bat ponies. They carried her away.

"Doctor, please can we go to Ponyville, I want to save my friends!" ditzy cried.

"Alright!" the doctor and Ditzy dashed into the Tardis. In five seconds they were in Ponyville, which was already being harassed by white guards. Luna's guards appeared seconds after they did brandishing spears running at the white guards "wow are they ever quick!"

"Doctor!"

"Right! Who are we looking for?" the Doctor asked

"ugh never mind!" Ditzy said before shooing the doctor back into the Tardis "Lyra! Bon Bon? Where are you guys?"

"Ditzy!" the teal unicorn and cream earth pony came running over

"Oh thank goodness, get into the phone booth I'll explain everything later."

"Got it!" Lyra said before galloping into the phone booth

"Lyra! Wait!" Bon Bon whinnied before galloping after her. Ditzy looked threw the crowd of ponies everywhere. Suddenly a yellow Pegasus stuck out

"Fluttershy! What are you doing here?!" Ditzy cried running up to her

"Oh I was trying to save the animals! I let them all out into the everfree forest, I hope there okay…"

"Everything's going to be fine, head into the blue phone booth, it's safe."

"Oh thank you!" Fluttershy said before galloping towards the Tardis. Ditzy was running through the chaos looking for her friends when a whimper caught her ear. She looked under an apple cart and saw applebloom shivering in fear.

"Applebloom? Why are you here?"

"I was tyrin' to help with the apple sellin', and when Applejack came back I was so excited a ran up to her and hugged her, but she doesn't recognise me no more, sumthin' happened to her, she ain't like herself no more." Applebloom sobbed

"Applejack is here!?"

"Yeah, Rainbow just pulled her and Twilight here, but sumethin's wrong, twilight doesn't have her winds no more!" Ditzy eyes widened. Suddenly Luna cried out over the din.

"RETREAT! All New Lunar Republic Soldiers! Retreat to the Chariots!" Ditzy ran back to the Tardis shielding Applebloom from harm. As she neared it she saw her friends Vinyl Scratch and Octavia running by

"Vinyl! Octavia! Over here!" Ditzy cried out. Vinyl stopped. She turned to Ditzy.

"Sorry Ditz… I'm not the one to sit back and let others do the fighting…" with that single comment Vinyl Jumped into the Chariot and helped Octavia up as they began to more skyward. Ditzy watched them go tears in her eyes. Suddenly spears where being shot at her as well as shot gun bullets from Applejack. She slammed the door of the Tardis behind her.

"This place is Amazing!" Lyra said enthusiastically. Fluttershy wrapped a hoof around Applebloom who was still shaking from shock.

"Yes yes! You've said that a lot already! Ditzy do we have everyone?" the doctor said slightly annoyed. Clearly Lyra had been highly entertained.

"Just go…" ditzy said sadly. The doctor looked at her worriedly, before he pulled the switch down. Ditzy listened as the whirling sound pulled her further and further from what used to be her home.

* * *

A/N: Man… this is heavy… whew… took a lot out of me emotionally…blah.

Once again constructive criticism is encouraged. BTW every one who reviews gets a muffin/cupcake vector modeled after there favourite. So post a comment and leave your favourite muffin/cupcake type. They will be posted on my Deviant art page TheBrassCage as well as some pictures of the character Doohickey. See you later! ;{)


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

Nice to …er…Meet You or Lost in Time

The ride this time round was even more disastrous then the last for Doohickey. Lights blinked rapidly and the Tardis console was sparking and there were explosions sounding deep into the Tardis's core. It was all Doohickey could do to keep her hold on the console.

"Quantum Bridge Failing. Switching to emergency power." The Tardis automated voice called out

"NO no no! You can't switch now that'll…" Doohickey was cut off by the console exploding a few feet to her right. She was thrown backwards and caught herself on the back railing. She flew over it back to the console and opened the instruction manual. "Well that isn't helpful at all." She threw the book off to the side. The chain snapped. The book sailed over the railing just as the console began to smoke dangerously. The middle pillars glass cracked. Doohickey stared at her fractured reflection in tears. Suddenly the Tardis gave an almighty shudder.

"Temporal engine failing… traveling to primary destination." Suddenly the screen that Doohickey hadn't been able to turn on and flashed with lists and list of co-ordinates. At last is settled on one co-ordinate. The screen showed a map of Equestria before zooming to the Tardis's primary destination. It was about a mile away from the southern bridge of Ponyville about three miles from the apple family barn. Doohickey waited before she heard the tell tale whirling sound. At that she tried to shut of the power

"Manual Override Failed." Doohickey's ear drooped and her eyes widened. The other side of the console exploded taking a section of the landing with it. "Temporal Engine Meltdown Imminent, Evacuate immediately." Doohickey gasped before galloping to the door. She was thrown into it by another powerful explosion, this time below the console. She push it open and slammed it shut. She gasped as she took in her surroundings. This was Ponyville… HER Ponyville.

"Oh no no no!" she turned to the Tardis only to see that the windows were flashing with red and orange. She jumped back as the Tardis began to shake and smoke ominously. Suddenly it was sucked into it self before disappearing with a pop, like one of the bubbles on her mother's cutie mark. Doohickey stood there in shock…until the whole gravity of the situation came down upon her and she collapsed into wracking tears. She sobbed and sobbed and sobbed until somepony above her cocked a shotgun.

"You've got ten seconds ta flap those wing o' yer's and get of my land before I tern ya into Swiss cheese." Applejack said pointing her shotgun at Doohickey's face. Doohickey could see that Applejack still had her hat and wasn't wearing her Empirical armor. She breath a subtle sigh of relief, it wasn't her time after all, then she realized Applejack was counting.

"Five…four…three…t"

"Wait!" Doohickey cried out. She hoped from the bottom of her heart.

"Ugh… what?" YES!

"Can I please borrow your phone…" Applejack looked at her in annoyance. Doohickey pouted that special way she did that got her extra deserts from the rations guard. Applejack winced

"Fine, then can I shoot ya?"

"Um, I'd like it if you didn't…" Applejack just grunted and led Doohickey to the apple ranch. Every so often Doohickey would try to stop and turn to talk to applejack, if only to make sure the orange mare didn't shoot her, only to be nudge forwards with the barrel of the gun. Finally they reached the apple family barn, the upper windows were boarded up and there were only shriveled up stalks in the fields by the house. Doohickey stared at the sight forlornly. She knew it wasn't her time now. In her time Applejack had administered the destruction of Sweet apple Acres. Most of the trees in the eastern end of the farm had been cut down and the barn and farmhouse had been dismantled. Doohickey remembered because she accidentally ran into one of the support beams on the upper floor and knocked the whole building down. She hadn't heard then end of that one… both in laughter and annoyance, the guards wanted to whip her within an inch of her life, her father just wanted to laugh… for what seemed like hours.

" What are you standing around for, waiting for grass to grow? Move it! The phones by the door." Applejack said. Doohickey cringed at the barren wasteland that once held grass. Not likely. She trotted inside and dialed` the six-digit number of the Tardis phone .3.6

"Come on… come on." Doohickey whispered a plea, as there was a single tone. Then the other tones of the numbers sounded before the phone rang twice. Doohickey waited. Finally there was a click. Somepony had picked up!

* * *

"Um… hello?" Fluttershy called out

"Is this the peace core?"

"Yes… um… what is you'd like from us?" Fluttershy asked motioning to Ditzy who was swinging on the bars upside down. Ditzy nodded and flew off for the doctor. The voice on the receiver sniffed.

"I need a pick-up."

"Okay dear." Fluttershy said sweetly before putting her hoof on the microphone as the doctor trotted in. "It's a pick-up."

"Alright, I'm ready, where are we going?" the doctor asked hoof on the ignition lever. Fluttershy blushed realizing she had not asked.

"Oh, um, I'm very sorry dear, where did you say you were again?"

"Sweet Apple Acres."

"Sweet Apple Acres!" Fluttershy nearly fainted. Only Ditzy holding her up kept her from doing so. The doctor took the phone.

"Alright little one, stay on the phone, don't you dare hang up until we're there okay?"

"…Doctor?" the voice called out questioningly. The doctor gasped and stalled his button pushing.

"Doohickey? But how? We thought for sure you were caught in the Canterlot fires!" the doctor said shocked. The phone was wrestled form his hooves by Ditzy.

"Ohmygosh, Doohickey! We thought you were DEAD! Are you okay! Oh no, of course your not your in sweet apple acres… Wait! Doctor she's in sweet apple acres! What are you standing there for? we have to rescue her! Move it!" she glared angrily at the Doctor who was shocked into action. They both knew the dangers of sweet apple acres, of the mare that called that barren landscape home. The whirling sound brought them closer to the little filly. Fluttershy stood by the door waiting for the Doctor's signal. As the whirling stopped the doctor nodded and Fluttershy opened the door.

* * *

Applejack had frogmarched Doohickey to the door when she heard the plan. She didn't appear to enjoy it but she wasn't resisting it either. Doohickey felt a general air of uncertainty surrounding Applejack, something she hadn't felt in her time. When the Tardis appeared Doohickey hung up the phone. Fluttershy flew out into the wasteland. A banging sound shocked everyone including Applejack, who fired a shot. It shattered the kitchen window. Fluttershy screamed and began crying. Doohickey's yelp reassured her though.

"Godangit!" Applejack shouted angrily putting her shotgun on the counter.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Ditzy called out. She had backed into the tractor and it had crumbled into rusted pieces

"What in! yer…yeh… GOSHDARNIT!" applejack yelled angrily, cocking her shotgun. "What in the hay is yer headless chicken doing here Fluttershy!"

"I'll have you know she's my headless chicken! Wait… is that an insult of some kind, I'm not good with those sorts of things…" Ditzy faced hoofed with the Doctor's comment, while applejack stared at the doctor in annoyance.

"Yeah, okay, 'm a gonna go back to sleep know, and stop sending yer ponies on my land…"

"NO!" Fluttershy screamed angrily. She flew right up to Applejack getting right into her face. "HOW DARE YOU! THREATENING A LITTLE FILLY LIKE THAT! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU! I'M ASHAMED THAT I EVER CALLED YOU A FRIEND!" Fluttershy turned to the doctor. "DOCTOR! WE'RE LEAVING!" she turned back to Applejack "GOOD DAY!" she then began herding Doohickey towards the Tardis. Doohickey went there at a full gallop, Ditzy beside her to shield her from harm. Fluttershy followed them. Half way between the Tardis and Applejack she paused and landed, before turning back to applejack, blushing. "Oh um, only if you want to, of course." she gave a strained smile before rushing into the Tardis. As the door closed, Fluttershy turned to the Doctor, who was gaping slightly. "What is it?"

"You…you yelled at her… dear lord Fluttershy I've never heard you talk over a murmur." The Doctor said incredulously. Fluttershy blushed and smiled again, squeaking.

"Now where did this adorable little filly come from? Here little one, have a bonbon!" Bon Bon said holding out a bowl of multicolored candies. Doohickey stared at this pony she'd never met before, she seemed some much more cheery then any pony she'd met before.

"Alright alright, clear off! Let me sound the roll call!" the doctor said. He went up to the Tardis and pushed a few buttons before holding another button and speaking into the microphone on the console "Roll Call! All of you lot, up to the control room then!" he released the button and walked up to Doohickey before leaning down "prepare for a bit of a stampede." He whispered in her ear. It certainly sounded like it. There was a deep rumbling some where from the hall beyond the door, before it opened and ponies surrounded Doohickey.

"Wow! A new filly!"

"A Pegasus too!"

"Hi, it's nice to-hey! Don't push!"

"My names is- I say! Get out of my way!"

"WILL YOU LOT STOP SHOVING ABOUT!" the Doctor shouted over the din. "Thank you! There's no need to swarm the girl, come on then, back up! One at a time now, if you please. Zecora." The doctor said nodding to the zebra in the line.

"For the first words I say thank you, it is nice to be first to meet some pony new. My name is Zecora, and I am a zebra you can see, I hope you are happy meeting me." The zebra said in her usual rhymes. Doohickey smiled. The Zecora of her time would always try and make silly rhyming phrases to make the foals laugh. She appreciated a glimmer of home.

"Nice to meet you, miss Zecora."

"I have never gone by miss, how have you come to know me as this?" Zecora asked with confusion.

"It's a common courtesy thing, Zecora, foals call old mares miss. Hey there little one, my name is Lyra! Lyra Heartstrings, a pleasure to be meeting ya!" the teal unicorn tipped her head to the little Pegasus. Doohickey stared at her. That was a name she hadn't heard in years! Her mum had cried at Lyra's hanging. Heresy they said, heresy against the queen. "Um, are you alright?" Doohickey shook herself out of her stupor.

"Oh, yeah, sorry, it's just… you remind me of somepony my mum talked about, somepony who died…"

"Oh, jeez, sorry." Lyra said backing away looking a bit sad.

"Hello, my name is Fluttershy, oh, but, um, you already knew that… um, welcome to the peace core, your safe here no matter what, I promise." Fluttershy said smiling sweetly. Doohickey smiled as well. In her time Fluttershy always worked really hard to make sure everypony was healthy and happy. It was nice to see her someplace more…free.

"Of course you already know the Doctor and I!" Ditzy said smiling happily before wrapping Doohickey in a big hug. "I am so happy to see you!" she flew around the Tardis. Everyone gave her a clear view. "Pretty neat huh! Bet you were pretty shocked too!" Ditzy said landing in front of her. Doohickey walked forward. Her Tardis, for lack of a better term, had been dusty and bare. This one was light and airy, there still wasn't anything in the room, but there were thing, doodads and whats-a-ma-jiggers, all over the console, plus the door to the hallway was open and Doohickey could see rooms in the distance. It felt like home, Doohickey realized. The console was like her papa's boxes and boxes of stuff. The rest of the space reminded her of her mum, or rather her mum's style. Simple and yet, warm and inviting.

"It's perfect…" Doohickey said smiling. Ditzy smiled too and trotted up to nuzzle Doohickey's ear. The Doctor smiled and ruffled Doohickey's mane. A streak of deep blue caught his eye for only a moment. His hoof flew to his pocket, where he kept the Tardis spare key.

"What's wrong doctor?" Ditzy asked finding his behavior strange. The Doctor put his hoof down.

"Ah, it's nothing! Thought I'd forgotten something, I'm alright!" he said smiling. He walked up to the Tardis console while the other's stepped forward to introduce themselves, and discreetly pushed a button.

"My name is Bon Bon. Sorry for scaring you earlier little one, I have been told I can be a bit, much, for the little ones." The cream earth pony said smiling sheepishly.

"Your alright! I was just a bit shocked, maybe a little overwhelmed." Doohickey said smiling.

"Here, now would you like a candy?" Bon Bon asked holding out the bowl again. Doohickey put her hoof in the bowl and drew out a blue and yellow stripped one. "Oo! Those are my favorite." Bon Bon said before winking and backing up for the last pony to introduce herself.

"Heytheremyname'sApplebloomohit'srealynicetomeetyaIfinallygettohaveanewfillyfriendohthisissoexciting!" the yellow earth pony filly with the big pink bow said this whole sentence in one breath, shaking Doohickey's hoof quite rapidly before giving her a very tight hug. Doohickey was quite shocked. This was Applebloom, THE Applebloom? Miss, go-away-and-leave-me-alone-can't-ya-stop-being-a-kid-fer-just-one-second. Doohickey blinked in shock. This was the first major change from her time, aside from death. "Um, ya do wanna be ma friend… right?" Applebloom asked looking a bit said. Doohickey looked at her then flattened her ears.

"Um, I guess…" Doohickey said. Applebloom smiled.

"I see you don't have you cutie mark…" Applebloom began.

"It's doesn't really matter." Doohickey interrupted disregarding it with a wave of her hoof.

"We'll have ta…" Applebloom stopped and looked at Doohickey wide eyed. "What did ya say?"

"Having a cutie mark… it doesn't really matter." Doohickey said. Applebloom looked a bit shocked, then downcast.

"Ya don't… ya don't care?"

"Well it doesn't seem important in the grand scheme of things, I mean, we're at war, aren't we?" Doohickey said. Applebloom cringed. The rest of the ponies cringed as well, looking at each other. "What exactly do you do here? In regards to the war." Doohickey asked. Fluttershy shook her head.

"No no, your too young to be wrapped up in those things, Applebloom doesn't fight and neither should you, your too little, leave the fighting to the grown up." Fluttershy said surprisingly firm.

"But I want to help! I'm not too little I…"

"I think its time everyone younger then Ditzy should go to bed." The Doctor said quietly. Doohickey felt betrayed, her papa never made her go to bed early.

"I'm younger then Ditzy by three months doc." Lyra said.

"Fine then, younger then Lyra." The doctor said.

"Personally, I think we should all go to bed, rest up so we can get up bright and early." Bon Bon said. The Doctor nodded. With that the fillies were ushered away by Bon Bon and Fluttershy. The rest of the ponies followed them. Except for Ditzy and the doctor.

"Doctor, are you going to bed? Ditzy asked worriedly. The Doctor was staring a the console with a dark look.

"She has three heartbeats."

"What?" Ditzy asked confused.

"Doohickey, I didn't trust her right away, something seemed fishy, so I scanned her, and the Tardis picked up three heart beats." The doctor said turning the console to Ditzy and playing the recording. A series of six beats played in a steady fashion. Ditzy was shocked, and then she turned to the doctor.

"Are you sure you didn't pick up more them one heart beat, apple bloom was touching her for more then a whole minuet."

"Well I suppose that counts for one, but what about the other one, I'm fairly certain ponies have one heart."

"Doctor, the Tardis is very, uh, inaccurate when it comes to scans. Remember that muffin last week, it though it was a duck…"

" Yeah, and my butter was a soltaren, she was having an off week." The Doctor said. Ditzy looked at him.

"Maybe she's having an off day then." Ditzy said patting the doctor's shoulder.

"I suppose, but I don't know Ditzy, there something… off, about her… she seems, mores familiar then she ought… it almost feels like… like the Tardis is welcoming her home."

"Doctor, I think your tired… you should get some rest." Ditzy said holding out a hoof. The Doctor looked at the console and back to her face. He shook his head and smiled.

"Your right of course, ah, it's the war, making me all paranoid," the Doctor walked a little slower and round the console. Preparing to travel "war doesn't suit me Ditzy…"

"I know, it makes you… different… I can't wait for the day when we can smile and have adventures again." Ditzy said flying beside the Doctor.

"Someday." The Doctor said pulling down the lever for the ignition. The whirling sound of takeoff rang though every pony's room. In her designated room, Doohickey smiled a little, dreaming of flying through the stars beside her father. Ditzy smiled laying a hoof on the Doctor's shoulder. "Someday…"

* * *

A/N: Next chapter is when we reintroduce some important characters! That's also when the conflict stars, theses first few chapters are establishing plot and setting. To summarize: Doohickey is in a time period between her own and the downturn of the war. Her world is months away from becoming a reality; she just doesn't know it yet. also I am going to start a poll.

Should I write one shots detailing the journeys of certain characters DURING the war, or should I find some way to incorporate it. There are pro's and con's the pro's of the one shot's is that I can be a bit more descriptive and concise the con's being it'll take time away from writing the actual fic. The pro's of incorporation it is that it'll save time, a con being that's I'll probably have to sacrifice clarity, and it will likely be a bit… strained, causing the flow of the story to be disrupted…

Be sure to vote… and leave and reviews, they greatly help me improve.

Ps! Don't forget to leave your favourite muffin/cupcake type! I'll bake them! Just for you! ;{p


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

History is Repetitive or The Elements of Harmony

Doohickey woke up early, just as Bon Bon had predicted. She started her first day on the Tardis with a nice breakfast, courtesy of Lyra. Ditzy also offered something, a large batch of blueberry muffins. Doohickey was a bit confused though, she was certain there was butter to put on the muffins in the tin when Ditzy opened it, but it was gone when she went to put some on her muffin. She spent the rest of the morning following the Doctor around. He spent a lot of it explain the Tardis's engine to her, she wanted to help fix it, but he told her she was too little. It irked her to no end. She decided to go work with Lyra. The unicorn was practicing spells in the judo with Bon Bon. Doohickey kept tripping over herself though. Eventually, Lyra and Bon Bon, looked at each other. Bon Bon smiled sadly

"Um, Doohickey dear, could you go play somewhere else, you're a bit too… clumsy, for this." Doohickey's eye twitched. She stomped off in annoyance. By mid afternoon Doohickey was bored out of her mind. Everyone was saying to go play somewhere else. She wasn't playing! She was trying to help! Suddenly a shadow loomed over her.

"Um, Doohickey, would ya like ta come listen to a story? Fluttershy's willing, it's kinda… boring ta listen alone." Applebloom said looking at Doohickey a bit uncertainly. Doohickey looked at her… over the course of the day Doohickey had been thinking about how different Applebloom was. She realised that Applebloom, this Applebloom, was her age and was more carefree then the Applebloom she knew. She was willing to start over, if Applebloom didn't spent all of their time together going on and on about cutie marks.

"Yeah, sure… it's nice to here that there's SOMETHING to do here…"

"Yeah, tell me about it, I don't think I've been this bored since Applejack grounded me for a month…" Applebloom trailed off, looking a bit sadder then usual. Doohickey cringed a bit flattening her ears.

"Applebloom, oh my goodness, are you okay, oh dear." Fluttershy asked hovering beside them. Applebloom forced a smile.

"Yeah, 'm okay, thank ya Fluttershy."

"Oh, good… well, um, today I'm going to read about nightmare moon…"

* * *

"Just like that?" Doohickey asked in slight shock

"Yes, it was very shocking." Fluttershy said finishing her recount of the element of magic appearing before Twilight Sparkle.

"But how? Was it a time-release spell? How did the element know?"

"It didn't, Twilight's magic made it reveal itself."

"But why?" Doohickey asked. Fluttershy looked at the pegasus.

"Well, I don't know… the element of harmony, maintain balance in Equestria, if they hadn't been revealed Nightmare moon would have plunged Equestria into chaos. I suppose they might have known that they were needed, twilight summoned them, and they let her manipulate them." Doohickey's eyes had widened when Fluttershy talked about balance. Her eyes glimmered.

"Balance? You mean like, stopping Equestria from being destroyed?"

"Most likely…"

" Really!" Doohickey asked smiling widely.

"Um, yes."

"YES!" Doohickey said leaping into the air. She did a few loop-de-loops. "Can I have any books about the elements of harmony?" she asked still smiling. Fluttershy looked at her and sighed.

"Doohickey… um, we can't use the elements of harmony any more." Fluttershy said looking at little sad. Doohickey dropped to the floor in shock.

"What? Why not?"

"Because, the bearers of the elements aren't bonded by friendship anymore…" Fluttershy said quietly. Doohickey's face fell when she remembered that.

"Oh yeah…"

"I'm sorry little one, but… well, I don't think there's a way we can change that…" Fluttershy said sighing. She flew to the bookshelf and put the book she was reading back. She looked back at Doohickey and pulled down the book about the Elements of Harmony. "Here… you seemed truly interested… it might not do anything, but, at least you'll know about them…" she flew away after handing the little pegasus the book. Doohickey stared at it. It featured an image of six rainbow coloured jewels connected by a gold frame.

" 'The Element's of Harmony: A Reference Guide'… I guess it kinda helps." Doohickey settled down into one of the cushions and began to read " 'The Elements of Harmony are six very powerful magical artefacts that maintain balance throughout all of Equestria, they each represent a powerful virtue: Laughter, Honesty, Generosity, Loyalty, and Kindness. The sixth element is a secret element, it's location shrouded in mystery, the only hint to finding it hidden in this quote: `when the five are present a spark will make the sixth appear. ` The nature of this spark is unknown, but the last known place of the Element of Harmony is in the castle of the two sisters found in the heart of the everfree forest.'…" Doohickey looked closer at those words "how old is this book?" Doohickey flew up to the shelf and put the book away. She walked away from the library, moping slightly. Suddenly a door to her right opened. Doohickey stared in shock; it was a thick jungle with vines falling from branches and strange flowers. Down the path, visible from the door was a tree. It appeared hollow and a light was flooding out from carved windows. There were jars hanging from the tree's branches and masks all about the base.

"Do not stare, all the way out there. Come in here, do not leer." Zecora called out from the door. Doohickey nodded walking forward. The door closed and she realized that she was in a huge room. The Tardis had adapted it to the occupant's wishes. Doohickey opened Zecora's door and marvelled at what she saw. The tress was completely hallowed with ingredients lining the walls in jars, bowls and bundles. There was a huge Cauldron in the centre of the main room and a bed lined with unusual furs off to the side. It was surprisingly roomy, for a tree. "Doohickey little one, what has the world done? What is in your tum, that makes you look so glum?"

"The Elements of Harmony might be the only things that can stop Celestia, and their completely useless." Doohickey said sadly.

"Useless I believe they are not, but it is true they are not where they aught." Zecora said putting some things into her cauldron. It began to bubble in a bluish hue.

"The Elements only work with strong bonds of friendship though…" Doohickey said sitting on a stool across the cauldron from Zecora. Zecora put a few more herbs and such in the cauldron. It began to swirl in a lighter blue shade.

"Friendship is a fickle thing, it is much like a ring…" Zecora said looking at Doohickey before stirring the cauldron with her giant wooden spoon.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"It is an endless bond that will not break, no matter how much the world does shake."

"But, even Fluttershy said they weren't friends anymore." Doohickey said. Zecora picked up a glowing green powder.

"It is true they are apart, but they only need a push for their bond to restart." Zecora said before throwing the powder into the cauldron. The cauldron threw up a great blue cloud before it cleared leaving a clear substance not unlike water in the cauldron. " In there the future you will see, when it is done tell it to me." Zecora said backing away. Doohickey stood on the stole and leaned over to look into the cauldron. She was instantly shown a vision. There were fireworks and lanterns in a darkened city. There were two short alicorns on a balcony above her. To her right the elements of harmony, minus Twilight, were laughing and dancing, enjoying themselves. To her right Doohickey looked horrified. Ditzy was sitting beside the Doctor leaning on him forlornly, the Doctor looked like he had been crying. Ditzy was saying something but Doohickey couldn't hear it. One of the alicorns flew off the balcony flying over the city. The Doctor looked up and sighed as Ditzy continued speaking. Doohickey tried to call out to the Doctor but was pulled away. When Doohickey opened her eyes again she was back in Zecora's hut. Zecora had moved a table over to the window and set up tea.

"Having tea with this is law, now come and tell me what you saw." Zecora said before poring tea for Doohickey.

"There was a city, two alicorn's… The Doctor was upset… but all of the element's were happy and laughing together."

"Hmm…" Zecora sipped her tea in thought.

"What does it mean?"

"That you are the start of something strong, a light to show all that the queen is wrong."

" Really? But, I'm just a filly… I don't know if I'm ready for this yet…" Doohickey said, her ears flattening and her eyes looking down.

"You must, for danger has long loomed, we need their trust, or Equestria is doomed…' Zecora stood and walked to Doohickey's side. "It is true that you are young, but your adventure has just begun. All of Equestria is counting on you, what is it that you shall do?" Doohickey stared at the zebra. After a long while Doohickey hopped off the stool and stood. She tightened her bow and spread her wings.

"I'm going to defeat Celestia… I won't let her destroy Equestria, never again." Doohickey said with determination.

"Thank you, Time Travelling pony…" Doohickey gaped at her in shock; Zecora winked "Your first step is to find the one who is lonely…" with that she pushed Doohickey out of her hut and closed the door. Doohickey stood at the door in shock.

"How did she know?" the filly finally spoke after a few minuets. Doohickey walked to her room formulating a plan. She was going to present her case to the adults in the morning. Doohickey took out her bow in front of her vanity. She slowly unravelled her Tardis key from her hair. She stared at it and wondered what her papa would say. Doohickey frowned and looked back at her mirror with determination. No matter what happens… I will save them… they may be sad when it first ends… but they'll be saved Doohickey thought avidly I'll save them, mama was wrong, the Tardis led me here, it wants me to save them… and that's what I'm going to do. With that Doohickey weaved the key back into her hair. She looked out her fake window. The moon was shining in a cloudless night. She said a silent goodnight to her mama and papa before turning away. Zecora woke up suddenly. One of her potions was glowing a light pale yellow. She smiled in slight shock.

"My is that filly quick, I knew the potion would do the trick…"

* * *

A/N: GASP! How did she know! Simple! She's a zebra!

Be sure to review! Leave your favourite muffin type and vote in the poll! See you soon! ;{p


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Lonely Wonely or The Return of Laughter

"Are you insane?!" Lyra asked Doohickey quite seriously.

"No… well, possibly, my aunt was very eccentric after all…" Doohickey said walking back and forth before the collection of adults. Fluttershy bit her lip and sighed.

"I should never have told you about the Elements of Harmony… you're too young to be thinking of fighting like this…" Doohickey's eyes narrowed and her eye began to burn with fire.

"I agree, you're too young to be even trying to fight with us, just let us grown…" Ditzy began but Doohickey finally snapped.

"ENOUGH ALREADY!" She screamed. The adults all looked quite shocked at her out burst. "I AM TIRED OF ALL THE ADULTS IN MY LIFE SAYING I'M TOO LITTLE OR TOO CLUMSY OR TOO YOUNG TO DO ANYTHING TO HELP!" Doohickey stomped right up to the Doctor and snorted angrily "I am offering a solution to end the war…" she glared at him angrily "isn't that what you want to do?" the Doctor looked at the little filly. He was eying her with a scrutiny he had not given her before.

"what your saying Doohickey… you have to understand, we don't even know if it's possible…"

"it is… it must be…" Doohickey said trying to push down her uncertainty. She shook her head and pushed away her doubts "we won't know if it's impossible if we don't try." The Doctor smiled a little at that.

"Well, it's not really up to us, Fluttershy…" Fluttershy looked up quickly "what do you think?" Fluttershy backed up as everyone turned to her.

"Um… Well, I… um…" Applebloom walked up to her and looked sad.

"If we do this… I'll get Applejack back won't I?" Fluttershy blinked at the little filly

"Oh dear… um…" Doohickey looked at the yellow pegasus begging with her eyes. "Oh I can't stand here pretending I don't want to try… I thought about them all night… I miss them very much, and I'd like to try to get them back… oh! Only if it's not too much to ask… of course…" Everypony cheered. Bon Bon threw candies in the air as Lyra created fireworks. Applebloom and Doohickey spun around laughing. Ditzy hugged the Doctor swinging around before kissing him on the cheek. She then blushed like a tomato and flew away in a grey blur, hooves covering her face. The Doctor blinked rapidly in slight shock before we smiled and picked Doohickey and swung her around. Doohickey laughed and hugged him.

"I love you papa…" she whispered with closed eyes. The Doctor tightened his arms. Doohickey opened her eyes and blushed a bit, turning away from the Doctor.

"ALLLLLLRIGHT! We all got to calm down now! Can't celebrate yet, we've still got to go out and find them all everyone calm down! Alright!" the doctor turned to Doohickey. "You're our mastermind, who do we find first?" Doohickey blinked and smiled widely.

"Pinkie Pie." She said seriously. The adults looked at her.

"Um, Doohickey… Pinkie Pie hasn't been seen in, well since the start of the war." Lyra said. The other adults cringed. Doohickey smirked.

"Zecora… you're being awfully quite."

" Zecora…" Lyra and Bon Bon said turning to the Zebra. Zecora chuckled at the little pegasus

"The jig is up so it seems, my secrets are unravelling at their seams."

"Huh?" the adults all exclaimed.

"Every Tuesday just after three, the pink wonder mare visits me." The adults all gaped at her. The doctor finally shook himself out of his stupor.

"Wait… you're saying she gets through the locked door, through the control room, finds your door in the sea of doors, visits for an undetermined amount of times and then leaves again?" Zecora nodded "HOW?" Zecora shrugged "NO no no, you can't just shrug! That is a major beech in security! …HOW!" the doctor asked in deep confusion.

"It's Pinkie Pie, that's like asking how she fits her party cannon in her pocket…" Lyra said.

"Wait… she can fit a cannon in her pocket? …HOW?" Lyra, Bon Bon, and Zecora shrugged. "Argggg!" the Doctor shouted trotting away up to the console. He pushed a few button to display the date on the screen. He blinked at the date. "Today is Tuesday…"

"Ack!" Doohickey shouted, "what time is it?" she asked hurriedly in a panic

"2:45." The Doctor said turning the console away. Doohickey gasped and began pulling Zecora to the door.

"Come on! We have to get ready for Pinkie Pie!" Fluttershy made a move to follow. "No no Fluttershy! I'm going to do it alone, trust me. Come on Zecora!"

"Alright little one, it appears your adventure has at last begun." Zecora said winking at Doohickey. Doohickey smiled and flew ahead of Zecora to the jungle room. "just a warning before the pony arrives… she is not quite following the past drives…" Zecora said worriedly.

"What do you mean?" Doohickey asked becoming somewhat scared. Zecora's ear flicked

"This way she comes, leave no trail of crumbs!" Zecora hurriedly hid her in a cupboard. A knock on the door sounded. Zecora worked to put the finishing touches on tea.

"The door you'll find is open, you are welcome in my den." Zecora said Pinkie Pie opened the door and Doohickey was a bit shocked. She had always seen the pink pony depicted with a bouncy cotton candy mane. This pony had flat straight hair and she didn't appear to be truly smiling. She had one of those half smiles that Doohickey knew oh so well. Doohickey was a bit shocked… Pinkie Pie looked more like she did when the war was finished then anypony else she's met.

"Hey, Zecora…" Luna's moon, she even sounded glum.

"Hello my dear friend… goodness you look like the world is at a end."

"Maybe it is…" she mumbled quietly. Zecora didn't have a reply to that. She simply watched the pink pony as she sadly nudged and sipped at her tea. After a few awkward minutes Zecora offered Pinkie more tea. "No thanks… I think I'll just go…um… bye." The Pinkie pony walked off before Zecora could begin her reply. The zebra turned to the cupboard that hid Doohickey and tilted her head towards the door. Doohickey burst out of the cupboard and galloped out of the hut.

"Wait!" she cried. Pinkie jumped at least three feet. Se turned back to the little pegasus forlornly

"Oh… hello."

"Why are you leaving?" Doohickey asked. Pinkie looked at her.

"I don't belong here…"

"But… aren't you the best party pony in Equestria?"

"OH yeah!" pinkie said showing a really smile for the first time Doohickey had seen her but then her smile fell. She slumped down to a seating position "at least I used to be…" she then turned to Doohickey and glared "Who are you anyway, why do you care?"

"My name is Doohickey Whooves…" Doohickey said. Pinkie Pie blinked

"Wait… like Doctor Whooves?"

"Uhuh." The pegasus nodded. Pinkie blinked.

"Does he know?" she asked

"No, It's a secret… can you keep a secret?"

"Yep, Pinkie swear." Pinkie said smiling a little and nodding "cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." She flapped her arms and put a hoof in her eye. Doohickey giggled. She then put on a serious look.

"Look Pinkie… I have a plan to defeat Celestia and stop the war… But I need the elements of harmony to do it… which means I need your help…"

"Wait! Did you say the elements of harmony!?" Pinkie asked getting right in Doohickey's face. She was staring at her with insistent eyes. Doohickey fell over to get away from the intense look.

"Yes…" the pegasus said uncertainly. Pinkie Pie smiled widely.

"REALLY?" she asked super excited. Doohickey blinked

"Um… yes." She asked a bit confused. Pinkie Pie's hair exploded into pink bouncy cotton candy hair.

"WWWWEEEEEEEEE!" she screamed bouncing all around Doohickey. Doohickey got a bit dizzy trying to follow her. "Well come on silly, we've got to get moving. What are you doing on the floor?" the bouncy mare asked the filly. Doohickey was a bit shocked and confused

"Huh?" Pinkie Pie giggled

"My friends are out there Silly!" She picked Doohickey up and put her on her hooves. She then pulled the filly to her side. Then she stood up on two hooves and pointed to the horizon. "And we're going to recruit them!" she then giggled and began bouncing towards the door "Even if they don't want us to!" Doohickey stared with a confused shocked face. Before she smiled broadly and whooped. Suddenly Pinkie Pie gasped loudly "oh my gosh! I almost forgot I've got to go apologies to Fluttershy for being such a meanie weenie!" she disappeared in pink blur before Doohickey could stop her. She laughed before galloping after the hyper mare. Inside the jungle hut a pink bottle had begun to glow beside the yellow one. Zecora sipped her tea, smiling knowingly.

* * *

Pinkie Pie ran through the halls as fast as she could se was looking in all of the rooms.

"Nope!" another door "nope!" another "nope!" and another "nope!" finally she stopped and rubbed her chin "if I was a yellow pegasus where would be?" Pinkie Pie giggled "Hee hee that is so silly, why would I want to be a pegasus, I'd much rather be a dragon, Oo Oo no a unicorn! No! A griffin! Wait, no… Oo Oo I know, an earth pony! Wait I am a earth pony!" She laughed. Suddenly she saw Fluttershy walking down the hall at the end of the hall she was in "FLUTTERSHY!" she tackled the pegasus in a tight hug.

"EEEKKK!" the shy pegasus screamed before realizing that it was just "Pinkie Pie?"

"OH my gosh it is so nice to see you, oh my gosh Fluttershy I'm so sorry for being such a meanie weenie and not visiting you… I'm an awful friend…" Pinkie said as tears began well up in her eye. She started crying quite loudly. Tears started pouring out of her eyes in a steady heavy stream. Fluttershy hugged her.

"Oh Pinkie Pie, I'm so happy to see you." pinkie pie hugged her back. Doohickey and the rest of the core crew watched this, smiling widely.

"Welcome to the peace core!" Bon Bon said happily. Pinkie Pie smiled and bounced up and down.

"This calls for a PARTY!" Pinkie Pie shouted before dashing off in a pink blur.

"Oh dear…" Fluttershy said cringing. The Doctor turned to her

"Um… what is wrong with that?" he asked worriedly.

"PARTY CANNON!" Pinkie Pie Screamed from some room in the Tardis.

"ACK!" the Doctor yelped before galloping in the direction that Pinkie Pie had dashed off to. Applebloom and Doohickey laughed and laughed. Doohickey looked up to Ditzy.

"This is going to be really fun!" the little filly said. Ditzy giggled. Suddenly the Doctor shouted.

"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH MY BUTTER FRIDGE!" The core ponies laughed loudly into the afternoon.

* * *

A/N: and Laughter returned to Equestria! Trust me… the Doctor is going to enjoy it… eventually, as long as she doesn't touch his butter fridge… shish if you didn't already guess is a fridge… a separate fridge from the other, regular, fridge, that is solely for butter… lot's and lot's of butter… it's his fridge and anyone who touches it dies a bloody gruesome death… naw I'm just messing with ya!

Partially

Anyway, be sure to review, leave your favourite muffin/cupcakes flavour, and answer the poll, the decision is going to be rather important soon, chapter 7 is particularly dependant on certain event of the past… it'll provide an explanation for the reactions of certain characters as well as their opinions … so be sure to vote or I'll be left in a pit of indecision and may very well halt writing this story…


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

A Very Good Reason or The Start of a Quest 

"Rarity is really super stressed and grouchy nowadays…" Pinkie Pie said, looking a bit sad, as she ate her breakfast, which was three batches of cupcakes, two pies, and one whole birthday cake. Doohickey was puzzling about how she didn't gain any sort of weight after that.

"Oh dear… why is that?" Fluttershy asked eating her muffin.

"Trixie." Was all Pinkie Pie said.

"Trixie? Trixie unicorn? The boaster with the coaster?" Lyra asked.

"Yep, she's Luna right-hoof mare. She's very… bossy." Pinkie said eating another cupcakes in one gulp.

"Oh dear, I bet she doesn't like that…" Fluttershy whispered.

"Nope." Pinkie replied before lifting the pie and eating it in one gulp as well. Doohickey had abandoned her muffin, which was growing cold, to watch the mare eat.

"Well, then she'll be easy to convince to join us! That's a plus!" Bon Bon said ever being the optimist.

"Um, no." Pinkie said eating another cupcake. Ditzy flew in and saw the cold muffin in front of Doohickey who was watching the mare eat. She shook her head and placed a warm buttered muffin in front of the filly. The smell made Doohickey automatically reach down and take a bite, still staring at the pink pony.

"Huh? Why not?" Lyra asked eating her apple salad.

"She stays for her own reasons… you'll have to ask her, I pinkie promised not to tell anypony else her reasons for helping Luna, and believe me…" tears began well up in pinkie's eyes and the curl at the bottom of her mane deflated a bit "they're good reasons." The ponies all looked at each other. Bon Bon cringed, her ear flattening,

"So she might not help us?" Pinkie shrugged.

"We won't know until we try… of course we could always use our secret weapon." The mare said smiling again.

"Um? Secret weapon… oh, Pinkie, um, we don't hurt other ponies." Fluttershy said shrinking a little.

"Not an army weapon silly! Applebloom!" the mare said licking her lips before eating the cake in one swallow. Doohickey's mouth dropped open a bit. Ditzy pushed it back into place with a click of Doohickey's teeth.

"Applebloom?" Bon Bon questioned worriedly "it's she a bit young to be fighting?"

"She won't be fighting silly! Sweetie Bell is with Rarity!"

"Sweetie Bell!? Where?" Applebloom asked running right up to the table.

"Who's Sweetie Bell?" Doohickey asked. Applebloom squealed

"Sweetie Bell is onena my best friends! She 's the treasurer and Co-president of the Cutie Mark Crusaders!"

"The Cutie Mark Crusaders?" Doohickey asked with distaste.

"We've got branches all over Equestria! But the Ponyville branch is the original one, it's a group of foals dedicated ta finding their cutie marks, and trying whatever they can ta get it." Applebloom said. Then she cringed "Course ya wouldn't be interested in that sorta thing…"

"Not really…" Doohickey said flattening her ears. Ditzy frowned a bit from the oven. She was backing more muffins.

"Anyway! Ya said something about Sweetie Bell! What is it?" Applebloom asked Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie.

"We're going to be visiting Moonhorn Moor to see Rarity! Sweetie Bell has been living with her so you two will get to see each other again.

"YAHOO!" Applebloom said jumping around in a random pattern before throwing her hooves around Pinkie Pie, then Fluttershy, before galloping off "I gotta get ready! Gotta look ma best ya know?"

"Moonhorn Moor?" Doohickey asked.

"Yep! There're a whole bunch of caves in the mountains around the moor. The whole thing is shaped like a crescent moon and that's where the Republic is hiding. The caves are connected by a natural maze and even though Celestia knows Luna's there, she can't get through the maze. Luna has a secrets back door, that's how she gets her troops out. Who knew you had to go UNDER the caves to get out… hee hee." Pinkie Pie said before eating her lat cupcake. "Whew! I'm stuffed! See ya!" the mare said before bouncing away. Doohickey looked at the mare in confusion and shock.

"How…"

"Don't try and figure it out, you'll just get a headache." Lyra said before turning back to her half eaten salad. Doohickey looked down to see her plate was empty. She shrugged and placed her plate in the sink. The Doctor walked it, looking like the sun had frozen over. There were bags under his eyes, his hair was a mess and his tie was wrinkled and crooked. He sat at the table, yawning widely causing tears to prick the corners of his eyes. Doohickey shook her head and flew to the second fridge. She placed a tray of butter beside the muffin that Ditzy was placing in front of him. She looked at Doohickey bewildered. Doohickey smiled and pointed to the fridge. Ditzy shrugged before flying to get a glass of milk for him, while Doohickey sat down with a second muffin. Fluttershy giggled slightly. The Doctor picked up the butter stick and took a bite out of it before he took a bite out of the muffin. He swallowed the rest of the butter before he licked his hoof then drank the entire glass of milk. He then finished eating the muffin. Finally he wiped his eyes.

"Mornin'" He mumbled. He walked out of the kitchen. Doohickey knew that he was going to the washroom, where he would brush his teeth, comb his hair, wash his face and straighten his tie. Five minuets later, the Doctor returned.

"Good Morning every one! Alright let's get going then!" he said bubbly and bouncy as always. Doohickey collapsed onto the floor laughing. "Uh… what exactly is the little one laughing at?" the Doctor asked Ditzy. Ditzy tried to hold it in, before she too dissolved into peals of laughter. The Doctor looked at the whole room bewildered as they all laughed. Even Pinkie Pie was laughing, despite the fact that she hadn't been in the room seconds before. "Alright alright you lot calm down! We've got to get going!"

"R-r-right." Ditzy said laughing. She snorted " Moonhorn Moor…" she chuckled again "There's should be a giant cave some where under the moor." She said finally wiping her eyes and ending her laughter. All around her the ponies were doing the same.

"Alright then! Let's get going!"

"Andiamo!" Doohickey shouted happily trotting up to him. The Doctor blinked in shock.

"Is… is that Italian?"

"Yep! For 'let's go'." the filly said innocently. The Doctor blinked again. As the group left he got more suspicious

"Ditzy… has she said that before?"

"Yep, she said it the first day we met her. Why?" Ditzy said slightly confused.

"Right, the day Luna was banished…" the Doctor said. Ditzy frowned, as she finally understood.

"Doctor, she not some evil alien out to take over Equestria."

"Hardly! The usual suspects never try to invade when the worlds already at war… except dalecks, but they are quite easy to identify… I'm actually afraid she's a spy… after all, she speaks Italian, she knows my habits, she seems to understand the Tardis, at least more then you lot do, and think about it… She was in Canterlot when Luna was banished, before she vanished, then she was in Canterlot AGAIN when Luna attacked, then she vanished, AGAIN! And then she just 'turns up' in sweet apple acres, and she knows the Tardis number, and Applejack hadn't even touched her, not a nick or scratch… it can't all be a coincidence…"

"Or she's just a incredibly unlucky filly who has had a very difficult life. As for understanding the Tardis, I've found she's just mechanically able. Her cutie mark is probably going to have something to do with machines, but don't mention that, she doesn't really want a cutie mark…"

"Because her cutie mark will have something to with espionage!" the Doctor said. Ditzy face-hoofed.

"No, because she doesn't think it's important! Honestly Doctor, she's just a filly! Don't be like this!" Ditzy angrily flew to the door "You're acting like Celestia!" she flew out of the kitchen. The door closed rather louder than usual. The Doctor blinked in shock. He swallowed and rubbed the back of his neck with his hoof. He rubbed his face and blowed out a breath of air. He snorted at the noise, but didn't laugh as he usually would. He trotted out of the kitchen into the control room. Doohickey was talking with Applebloom in one corner, as she described Sweetie Bell. Pinkie pie and Fluttershy were talking about Rarity and The New Lunar republic in another. Ditzy was staring at him from the control panel. He trotted up to her and smiled.

"Don't worry Ditzy, I'm still very much in." Ditzy smiled and gave him a hug.

"Be sure to tell me when your not…" she said into his ear. Over on the other side of the room Pinkie's eyes widened then she smiled.

"FLUTTERSHY! She loudly whispered. Fluttershy looked at her to see that Pinkie was no longer beside her but at the end of the hall hiding in a rather obvious potted plant motioning a hoof to move towards her. Fluttershy flew to her

"Um, yes?"

"The doctor and Ditzy are in love!" she whispered. Fluttershy blinked. She looked over at the Doctor who was talking animatedly to Ditzy as he pushed buttons and flipped switches.

"Um, they are?"

"Yes! We need to set them up!"

'Um, no."

"What?!" Pinkie Pie said sticking her head out of the plant in annoyed shock "of course we doooooo!

"Um, no."

"Yes!"

"No."

"Yes!"

"No."

"YES!" Pinkie shouted. Everyone in the control room turned to her and Fluttershy

"No." Pinkie pie frowned angrily before she disappeared into the plant again and walked away. Fluttershy looked back at the Doctor and his companion. Ditzy was smiling while the Doctor recounted some story about an alien race on an alien planet. She blinked as she watched Ditzy laugh. The Doctor and her smiled at one another before he went back to prepares for travel. Fluttershy placed a hoof to her mouth and smiled. "Oh Pinkie Pie… you're good." The Doctor pushed a few more buttons. Before he moved to the ignition lever

"Alight everyone, hold on, it might get a bit bumpy." He pulled the switch. The whirling sound rang out through the halls. The Tardis did jump once or twice before the whirling sound began again. The light outside flashed before settling on a pale blue white. Suddenly an alert sounded on the screen. They had landed in Rarity's office. The white unicorn with the fabulous curly purple mane had jumped over her desk into an attack stance. Rarity was charging a spell. "Oops… bit too close wasn't I," he said cringing at the ponies that were glaring at him. Doohickey walked up to the door. She tightened her bow. The Doctor saw this and gasped "Doohickey! What are you…" but she was gone before he could stop her.

* * *

Rarity fired her spell the second the door opened. But it closed before she could see who was inside this odd box that had appeared with flashing lights. The spell was absorbed in the blue wood.

"Well that is an impressive protection." She said.

"Thank you." a small voice replied. She gasped and turned her glowing horn towards the voice. She stumbled a bit with what she saw. It was a pegasus filly with a smoke brown coat and light yellow and brown mane. She had blue eyes that were crossed like that mail pony Rarity had met in Ponyville, the really clumsy one that destroyed the town hall.

"Who are you?" the white unicorn asked angrily, horn glowing ominously.

"My name is Doohickey." The filly responded formally. Rarity turned her head quickly when the door to the blue box opened again.

"RARITY!" Fluttershy shouted angrily. Rarity was so shocked her spell dissolved. "How could you threaten a filly?"

"I thought she was an Empirial spy!" the unicorn said, defending herself.

"Oh, well that's okay then… wait, no it's not!" Fluttershy said glaring at Rarity before she scrutinized Doohickey for injuries.

"I'm okay Fluttershy." The filly said dipping her head at the pegasus. Fluttershy chuffed before flying back to the Tardis. She opened the door and Applebloom leapt out.

"Hiya there Miss. Rarity, um, can ya tell me where Sweetie Bell is?" Rarity smiled sadly just as her office door opened behind the Tardis.

"Sist… what is this box doing here?" A sweet high voice called out from the door.

"SWEETIE BELL!" Applebloom shouted happily. A white unicorn filly with a light purple and pink curly mane popped out from behind the Tardis

"Applebloom?" when the unicorn filly saw Applebloom they squealed and hugged each other, hopping up and down. Doohickey suddenly felt a little lonely, it didn't last long.

"Sweetie Bell! I want ya ta meet somepony! This is Doohickey! We met her by Ponyville, Doohickey this is Sweetie Bell." Sweetie Bell smiled at Doohickey.

"It's nice to meet you!" the unicorn filly said holding out a hoof. Doohickey smiled and shook it. Rarity looked at the two fillies and cringed.

"Why are you here Fluttershy?" Rarity asked. Fluttershy opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted

"Not just her! I'm here too!" Pinkie Pie said leaping out of the Tardis and giving Rarity a big hug.

"P…Pinkie?" Rarity stuttered out, shocked. "You sided with the core?"

"No silly!" Pinkie Pie said moving to stand beside Fluttershy "I sided with my friends."

"Oh… I see, well then what are you two doing here?" she asked with distain moving back behind her desk.

"We need your help." Doohickey said. The unicorn turned to the filly

"Oh, with what?" Rarity asked with a raised eyebrow. She conjured a tea set and poured her self a cup of tea, which she sipped daintily, listening to the filly.

"We're going to defeat Celestia." Rarity spewed her tea in a very un-ladylike fashion. She sputtered a bit as the filly continued "and we need the Elements of Harmony to do it." Rarity looked at the filly before she began to laugh, quite loudly in fact.

"My dearest little filly, Luna has attempted to overthrow Celestia for two years now… even more evidence against your ludicrous plan is the fact that three of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony are loyal to the very mare you intend to defeat… you have to realize that I must take this plan, with at least a tablespoon of salt." Rarity said lifting the sugar spoon with her magic and waving about in an animated fashion. She poured half a spoon of sugar into a new cup of tea and sipped it as the three ponies before her absorbed her words. At last, after a few sips and seconds of thought, she spoke. "I suppose… there is one way I could be convinced to help you…"

"What is it?" Doohickey asked in desperation.

"If you were to bring me some sort of proof… that the ponies working for Celestia can be convinced to fight against her… I might be willing to agree to fight for you. As it is I am really quite busy. I am one of the only ponies that actually does any work around here and Princess Luna simply cannot get anything done without me. I would have to be absolutely certain that this scheme would amount to anything before I spend the Republic's very valuable time and resources on such a project." Rarity said sipping her tea thoughtfully. Doohickey looked at the ground a bit before she smiled and looked back up to Rarity.

"Very well, we'll get you your proof! You won't be disappointed. I promise you! This will work." Doohickey said before turning back to the Tardis. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie took this as a sign that it was time to go.

"Applebloom… we're leaving…" Fluttershy said flying up to the two reuniting friends

"Already? But we just started talking!" Applebloom said pouting sadly. Fluttershy looked at the filly sadly and urged her towards the Tardis "bye, Sweetie Bell!"

"Bye, Applebloom!" Sweetie replied going to stand beside her older sister. Before Fluttershy entered the Tardis she turned back to Rarity.

"Oh, um, It was nice to see you again Rarity, if we ever get the chance, we should go to a spa together again, just like old times." The pegasus smiled before she closed the Tardis door behind her. The Tardis disappeared in a bright flash of light.

"It was nice to see you too, Fluttershy…" Rarity finally chocked out, her eyes swimming with tears.

* * *

A/N: what all my readers are thinking:  
"Ahhhh man… Rarity! What gives, man! Why you so mean?"

What I'm thinking:

"Ahhhh man… am I gonna be the only that knows why she so mean?"

how we, together, can solve this dilemma: Leave a review and vote in the poll! Tell me what your favourite muffin/cupcake is! Only then will you know!


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Not Far From the Tree or The Return of Honesty

"Once again, I must point out, YOU'RE INSANE!" Lyra shouted at Doohickey. The filly sighed and looked at the Doctor, who was being unusually quiet.

"Rarity wants proof, proof that we can convince the other bearers to hep defeat Celestia, so lets go convince one."

"Applejack is dangerous! She's the best sharpshooter in the Empirial army. It's like walking up to a sleeping Ursa Major and poking it with a stick!" Bon Bon argued. Doohickey looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Alright then, why not Captain Twilight Sparkle up in the Canterlot Library, or wait, I know, let's go up to Clousdale and have a little chat with Supreme Commander Rainbow Dash, I'm sure she'd love to have us over for tea." The Ponies all winced and looked at the filly. "Applejack is the easiest one to get to… I had hoped to have Rarity with us when we went to convince her, but we would have had to eventually… it's just a different order of operations… the point is, we need Applejack to get to Rainbow Dash and Twilight anyway… so lets turn two gears with one switch." Doohickey said. The Doctor laughed at her saying.

"'Turn two gears with one switch'? Where did you get that one?" Doohickey blushed.

"My papa was a clock maker." She said quietly. The Doctor blinked at that.

"That's pretty neat actually. What sort of clocks did her make?" Lyra asked with interest

"Pocket watches…" Doohickey replied quietly. The Doctor stared at the little filly in front of him. She looked a bit self-conscious as people began asking about her parents.

"What did your mother do?" Bon Bon asked.

"Urm… she was a storm pony…" Doohickey said quietly.

"A storm pony?" Bon Bon asked in confusion.

"Storm ponies work with thunder clouds, they're the ones that organize when the storms will arrive and when they end." Ditzy said smiling "I was a storm pony for a while, but I wasn't cut out for the long distance flying. Your mum must have had a lot of endurance."

"Haha… yeah…" Doohickey said smiling, but it looked more like a wince. The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Look okay… I don't like talking about them… their dead aren't they." Bon Bon and Fluttershy's eyes widened and their ears flattened. Doohickey was crushed in a hug from Ditzy. She blinked a bit in confusion. The group looked at her a bit sadly. Doohickey finally shook herself free. "I don't need comfort right now… I need Applebloom." The filly said with a grim scowl.

"Huh? Why do you need Applebloom?" Lyra asked.

"Because she's going to be the final buck at the apple tree, so to speak…" the ponies looked a bit nervous at that comment but Fluttershy agreed to go fetch Applebloom. Soon, the earth filly was being herded into the control room. Doohickey sighed and presented her plan to the Peace Core congregation.

* * *

"Ya need me ta do what now?" Applebloom asked a bit shocked.

"Applejack has no recollection of you, and it is my personal belief that Celestia is controlling the three bearers of the Elements of Harmony with some kind of… mind control. If we jumpstart Applejack's memory, for lack of a better term, we may be able to break Celestia's hold over her."

"Well this is just Cuckoo-Clock-CRAZEE! How did you know?!" Pinkie pie asked the pegasus filly. Doohickey blushed a bit at that.

" I… may have overseen some…things, from a window…"

"OH so YOU were the one causing my floppy left ear, I thought it was Celestia!" Pinkie said, as if that explained so much.

" What does a floppy left ear mean again?" Lyra asked. Doohickey stared at her in confusion.

" Floppy left ear means some pony is watching me. As opposed to floppy right which means a cup of tea is getting cold."

"I used to be able to tell that." The Doctor said with a touch of nostalgia. Ditzy blinked at him in shock.

"You have a sixth sense too?"

"No no, I could just… feel it." the Doctor said placing a hoof on his left heart. He shook himself out of his remembrance fog. "Anyways, are you saying Pinkie that Celestia is indeed using mind control to control those three mares."

"Well sort of… I wouldn't really call it mind control, it's kind of like being discorded acttu…"

"Don't! Finish that sentence; I don't need to know any more… Discord gives me the creeps!" the Doctor said shuddering before marching up to the console. He pushed a few buttons, and then held his hoof on the ignition lever. "Alright, one pull of this lever and we're at sweet apple acres, but I won't follow through with this plan if your not alright with it Applebloom." The group turned to the filly. Apple bloom nodded with determination.

"If Celestia is makin' my sister do all those nasty thangs… I won't let her hurt ma sister any more!" the filly said stomping her hoof with an audible clang on the metal floor.

"Now that's a apple rancher!" the Doctor said happily before pulling the lever. The whirling sounded out twice before the Tardis suddenly jumped and began to rumble violently. "What the!" The Doctor turned on the screens to see two Empirial pegasi firing some kind of magical energy at the Tardis from strange apparatus not unlike a crossbow. "Darn it Twilight! Why'd you have to be so smart! Why'd I park in the middle of a cornfield! Ah, stupid stupid stupid!" the Doctor said thumping his hoof on his forehead. "Hold on! It's going to be a fun ride!" the Doctor pushed a few more buttons and pulling the lever again. The Tardis tumbled and shook like a leaf on a windy day, the ponies and objects inside bumping along for the ride. Only the pegasi were spared and even then, they had their fair share of bruises. The whirling sound bounced off the walls as they began to land, or rather, crash. "HOLD TIGHT!" the Doctor shouted out before bracing himself. The Tardis gave an almighty rumbled before throwing everypony up into the air. The earth bound ponies landed with a hard thump before the Tardis was plunged into darkness. "Grand…" the Doctor grumbled before the blue light of his sonic screwdriver broke the curtain of black. "Sound off!"

"Here!" Bon Bon called out from under a pony pile.

"Here!" Lyra called a few feet away.

"Here!" Applebloom shouted

"I am here, no need to fear." Zecora said picking her self off the pony pile up.

"I'm okie-dokie-lokie!" Pinkie said.

"Here." Fluttershy said softly helping

"Right here!" Ditzy said helping Doohickey up from the pile of clothes she fell in.

"mpher." Doohickey said. She spit the scarf that was in her mouth out. She tried to squirm free of it but just got more tangled. "Here." She said looking up at the doctor from his hooves.

"Bless the universe! I haven't seen that scarf in ages… only you Doohickey, only you." he said helping her get untangled. Finally free she turned to the doctor.

"What happened?"

"Space time interference, we should be up and running in a few hours, if I can find all the problems."

"Why don't' you just switch on the emergency power?" the filly asked. The doctor stared at her.

"Emergency power?"

"Yeah you know, the emergency power." She turned back to the Doctor "every ship has emergency power."

"I suppose… guess I've got to figure it out that's all… should be fun!" the doctor said stretching out his front arms before shaking them out and placing his hooves on the control panel. He stared at the button and began to mumble to himself. "…Makes a wormhole, not very helpful, perhaps over here…" he pushed a few button and suddenly automated voice Doohickey knew so well came on.

"Good morning, Captain Trakilson. Please set your destination."

"Oh well would you look at that! Captain Trakilson! Ah, I stole my heroes Tardis! That's bloody fantastic!" the Doctor said, smiling like a little kid. "All right, well I don't need a destination… what's this button do again?" he pushed it.

"Cloaking device broken. Please repair damage in sector 12, section 4, floor 3."

"Oh this is just Wonderful!" the Doctor said. "Now all I need is a map of the Tardis… not likely." The Doctor said pushing a few button's at random. By now several of the ponies were yawning a bit tired of the show. At last the voice rang out, after many requests for the Doctor to go into the depths of the Tardis to repair some several thousand-year-old damage.

"Emergency power activated." The lights flickered on and the door's opened.

"Alright! Best get going then, we've probably already gained the dear apple rancher's attention. Those of you who feel up to it, go on, the rest of you, I suggest you clean up any messes you find… their might be a bit more than a few."

"I'm going!" Ditzy said, flying up to Doohickey. Truth is she wanted to make sure the little filly didn't get hurt.

"I have to go." Applebloom said determinedly.

"Oh, well, Pinkie and I have to go to, so you won't be alone." Fluttershy said showcasing some of her true bravery. Doohickey smiled at that.

"Yep! You'll never be alone when we're with you! Now let's go! Twitchy left back hoof means some pony is looking for us! And I think I know who!" Pinkie Pie said before Galloping out of the Tardis. Doohickey stared after the outrageous mare before turning to Fluttershy

"Floppy ear? Twitchy left hoof? What does that even mean?" Doohickey asked

"Pinkie has a sixth sense, which she calls her pinkie sense… it lets her… know, things."

"Like what?" Doohickey asked as the group began to follow Pinkie Pie.

"Well a twitchy tail means something is going to fall from the sky… I am quite familiar with that one." Ditzy said blushing a bit.

"Why's that?" Doohickey asked.

"Let's just say there's a reason why everyone calls me 'Derpy Whooves'." Ditzy said. Flying a bit ahead of everypony. She came back with a flattened ears "Applejack found Pinkie Pie." The group galloped in the direction that Pinkie had dash of to.

"…Care if ya'll want me to be the queen of Equestria! Just go away AND LEAVE ME ALONE!" Applejack shouted at Pinkie Pie. Her hair was flat as a pancake and she was not happy.

"WELL, EXCUSE ME FOR TRYING TO BE A GOOD FRIEND! Humph, I don't care anymore, stay here and rot!" Pinkie Pie said in anger.

"Hey! Don't say that bout ma sister!" Applebloom shouted at Pinkie

"YA? WELL I HOPE YOU ROT!" Applejack retorted

"Stop yelling!" Ditzy said to Pinkie Pie, but Pinkie Pie wouldn't listen. So Doohickey and Fluttershy stared as the four ponies began yelling at one another and all the while Pinkie and Applejack were still arguing.

"NO YOU!"

"NAW YOU!"

"NO YOU!"

"NAW YOU!"

"QUIET!" Fluttershy shouted. Everyone went silent. Doohickey stared at the shy pegasus in shock. "Can we please start talking like ponies do, instead of being a bunch of big mean bullying diamond dogs."

"Ya can start by leaving!" Applejack said angrily.

"We can't leave, the Tardis is broken, and the Doctor will need a few hours to fix it… I'm terribly sorry for our intrusion, but we're just going to have to stay until the Tardis is fixed." Fluttershy said talking to Applejack like she was a particularly rude animal.

"I could report ya'll to the queen! That'll teach ya!" Applejack threatened. The core ponies looked at the mare with fear. Doohickey stared at the orange mare.

"But you won't." she said. The core ponies looked at the filly in shock. Applejack faltered and turned to the filly.

"Say what now?"

"You're not going to report us to Celestia… I know you're not." Doohickey said before walking towards the farmhouse. The core ponies blinked at the filly before turning to the apple rancher and putting on strained smiles, squeaking for effect. Applejack huffed and picked up her hat, which she had thrown to the ground in her argument with Pinkie Pie. She dusted it off and placed it on her head.

"Fine. Yer welcome here, as long as ya don't touch anythin'. I have a very important organisation as work here an I don't need crazy core ponies messin' it up, so paws off." Applejack said looking at Pinkie Pie particularly strongly.

"okie dokie lokie!" she said before whipping down the path to the farmhouse in a streak of pink. Applejack sighed and shook her head. Applebloom was staring at some of the dead trees in dismay a ways off the path.

"Doesn't anythin' grow here anymore?"

"Naw, not much has grown in a while now." Applejack said string at the barren wasteland that was once a sprawling orchard. "It's hard without Big Mac here to help with the harvest, that an all of the apple family is working fer Celestia on the lines."

"Not all of em." Applebloom said sadly. Applejack looked at the filly in confusion. She walked back to the farmhouse with the little filly. Applebloom looked at it, with it's bared and broken windows and dull paint and felt a bit sorry for Applejack. " Where's granny smith?"

"She's dead…" Applejack said around the lump that had formed in her throat. She swallowed it away though. "She died a week after the war started, when Apple Strudel's body came back… it was too much of a shock fer her old heart." She turned back to the filly beside her and was shocked. The filly was crying, tears streaming down her face, eye screwed shut with pain. "Why are ya," Applejack was cut off by Applebloom lunging at her and wrapping herself around the older mare in a hug. Applejack looked down at the crying filly as her coat was wetted with tears. "It's alright their sugar cube…" she blinked at her words, as they brought back feeling and images she just didn't understand. "Alright Applebloom, let go." Applejack said pushing the filly away. Applebloom looked at the mare.

"Ya said ma name," she said. Applejack looked at her in confusion.

"What're ya talkin' 'bout?"

"Ya said Applebloom!" the filly said excitedly.

"I…I did? I…I did." Applejack said before she held her head in her hooves. "Ah, my head… that hurts like a goose egg." The mare cried out. The ponies inside the farmhouse came out to see what the commotion was all about

"Applejack!" Pinkie Pie shouted running up to the mare as she began to sway. She held the orange apple rancher up as the mare began to droop. There was a bright flash of orange light as applejack opened her eyes. Just as quickly as the flash arrived it left. Applejack stood a bit stronger as Pinkie Pie withdrew. Fluttershy stepped forward timidly

"Applejack?" the mare called out. The bearer of the Element of honesty opened her eyes.

"When I get my hooves on Celestia, not all of the Empirial army is gonna be able to hold me back." She said angrily. Applebloom whooped loudly and threw herself at Applejack's neck.

"Applejack! Oh I missed ya so much!" the filly said rubbing her face into her sister's coat, crying once more.

"I'm here, sugar cube… I can't believe Celestia would do something like this… it don't seem like the princess I knew." Applejack said staring at the sun in the sky.

"We better get moving… I don't know how long it'll take for Celestia to realise she's not controlling Applejack anymore…" Doohickey said worriedly.

"It's nice ta see that ya doing alright… I'm sorry fer the way I acted… ta all a yawl… I hope ya can forgive me.' Applejack said covering her face with her hat as tears began to fall from her eyes. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie wrapped the mare in a tight hug.

"All is forgiven." Fluttershy said.

"Yeah! What sorta friends would we be if we didn't forgive you silly!" Pinkie pie shouted happily. Applejack pulled them in tight.

"Yawl are the bestest friends anypony could ever ask for…" Applejack said as happy tears began replacing the sad.

* * *

A/N: HOORAY! I love Applejack! She's one of my favorite characters after Pinkie Pie and Luna of course… you should know that I am trying to be unbiased in this story, right now it might seem like Luna has no faults… but she does…just wait and see… they make me cry a bit.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Crystal Clear or The Return of Generosity

It wasn't until a few hours later that the Tardis was operational. Applejack looked at the barren wasteland that was once her home one last time.

"If we ever get the chance, can we come back here and fix this… it's just… it ain't my home no more… an I can't stand ta see it like this."

"Most definitely!" Pinkie said nodding heavily. Applejack sighed and turned away from the barren farm to the ponies around her. "Well shoot! What are we waitin' for! Let's get going!" she said putting a smile on her face. Doohickey reared in joy.

"Andiamo!" she shouted.

"Avante!" Ditzy cried out in succession.

"HEY! That's my catch phrase!" the Doctor shouted, pouting slightly. Ditzy giggled

"I'm just borrowing it." The Doctor looked a bit put out before he was unable to hold back anymore and burst into laughter.

"Ditzy my darling, you're a delight." He said before the pulled the lever and made them whirled away. Ditzy the whole while was blushing happily. When the whirling sound returned Applejack stood by the door.

"I wanna have the first word okay… there… there're some things that need clearing away."

"Be my guest." Doohickey said nodding to the orange earth pony. Applejack sighed and nodded determinedly, before reaching a hoof up and straightening her hat, and walking out the door.

* * *

Outside the Tardis Rarity had been shocked to have the filly back so soon, it hadn't been more then five hours… she couldn't have proof already. And so, she thought, smirking smugly, she's returned to revoke her request. That thought made Rarity puff up with pride for a few seconds before her ears drooped and she began to mourn for the lost hope. She reasoned that maybe she could join the cause if only to say I told you so when it failed. She figured she'd have to act to be accepted in such away so she had moved to the fancy leather chair behind her desk and had turned it away from the Tardis. With only seconds to spare the door opened and closed.

"I see you've returned… quite early in fact… so… where is your proof?" Rarity asked haughtily, her back still turned, as she levitated the teacup on her right to her lips.

"I see yer still as pretensous and fancy as when we were friends." A familiar voice called out with a southern accent. Rarity's cup dropped and shattered on the stone floor.

"A…" Rarity turned around to make sure she wasn't being deceived and almost choked on the air around her. The orange mare was standing before her with a grim look on her face. "Applejack." Rarity eventually stuttered out.

"Rarity." The mare responded.

"But… but… oh my did I underestimate that filly." The unicorn said slouching in a rather un-ladylike way.

"Yep, I reckon ya did." Applejack said smiling sadly. "I reckon we all have, there's a lot more ta Doohickey then what she's just letting on…"

"I'm inclined to believe you on that one."

"… Rarity, about Fillydalphia… I just ya ta know,"

"It's water under the bridge my friend…" Rarity said standing before the orange mare. Her eyes welled with tears; she wiped a few of them away before speaking again "Water under the bridge." With that final comment the two mares hugged, tears streaming down their faces. Doohickey watched from the door with happiness. Pinkie Pie destroyed their moment by whooping happily.

"This calls for a PARTYYYY!" she said appearing in between the orange and white mares with explosion of confetti wearing a pink party hat that featured her cutie mark. Rarity and Applejack backed away so that the pink mare would have room between them

"It appears that Pinkie will always be Pinkie… it's good to know that some things never change." Rarity looked at the ponies that were beginning to circle her. "Oh Zecora! It's been forever! Bon Bon, we haven't had tea together in ages darling! Little Applebloom, Sweetie Bell will be very excited to begin travelling with us.

"Say what now?" the doctor asked with slight apprehension.

"Well I can't very well leave my sweetie little sister here alone, she needs me to take care of her." Rarity said.

"Couldn't, you know, your parents take care of her, I don't think the Tardis can survive another crusader." The doctor had not seen Rarity's face fall. Only when he looked up did he see the tears on rarity's cheek. He put a hoof in his mouth.

"Don' mind me 'll juss sit here wiff ris hoof 'n ma mouf…" he said around his hoof, cringing at the white unicorn.

"No, no… you couldn't have known, we were orphan in the Trottingham massacre… it was tragic, but ages ago… I'm fine… perfectly fine." Rarity said turning away from the Doctor. Ditzy punched him in shoulder. He cringed further and removed the hoof in his mouth to rub his arm. "Oh, enough of these silly tears, I say I should treat you all. Fluttershy, you promised me a spa day, and I shall deliver. Aloe and Vera have a lovely little shop down the way from here, I insist that all of the mares, and fillies of course, come down for full body makoverrsss!" the white unicorn said posing fashionably.

"I'm good." Applejack said.

"Oh, fine, have it your way, but you'd enjoy it." She said leading the party out of her door. The ponies all stood and gaped for a few seconds. The cavern was HUGE! It was the size of Canterlot and Ponyville put together, in height and width. Inside, hundreds of buildings had been built, while several shops and amenities were built into the caves around the outer rim of the cavern. The ponies could see that there was a natural moat of sorts to their right that divided the underground city into two parts. The side they were on had a highly more sophisticated air then the other one and they could see a tall white stone tower rising from the centre of the building toped with midnight blue and gold. Some of the ponies looked around and released that they were on a bridge between another tower and a diamond shaped building made of crystals. "Quite impressive isn't it, many of the building were created by out crystal pony allies, anyways, as I was saying Applejack, I do think you should come out anyway." Applejack shook herself out of her stupor.

"I don' need all o' that fancy shmancy stuff, give me a bucket 'o water an''m clean."

"Yes… well, some of us require a bit more maintenance then that." Rarity said flipping her perfect mane. "Alright Fluttershy, anypony whish to join us."

"Yes please! It's be ages since I was pampered!" Ditzy said walking up to rarity.

"I noticed. Any one else?"

"I wouldn't mind a pit of pampering…" Doohickey said, "I've never been pampered before."

"Well we have to remedy that!" Rarity said before dragging the filly with her. Lyra and Bon Bon looked around to see a smoothie café.

"Large strawberry smoothie to share my little lemon drop?" Lyra asked the cream earth pony. Bon Bon giggled, blushing bright red. "I'll take that as a yes." The Doctor looked around, and at last spotted a group of bat pony guards.

"Hello, good sirs, now, could you please point me in the direction of Princess Luna?" the guards snorted before a few of them laughed

"Where are you from stranger?" the apparent leader of the group asked, stepping forward.

"Oh, I'm just a traveller." The Doctor said with slight confusion.

"Well, then I'll let you in on a little secret, Luna hasn't left her tower since she built it two years ago, you aren't gonna be seeing her any time soon." The guard said before walking away. The Doctor stared at the guards as they walked away. He turned to the small group of mares, Rarity being the epicentre, a ways down the path walking towards the small cave that had spa. He galloped after them

"Rarity! Rarity, may I speak to you for a moment…" the Doctor asked just as he reached the group. Rarity had held the door open for the others and was about to go through the door herself. She was holding it between herself and the Doctor like a shield, craning around the edge to speak to him

"Oh really, darling, couldn't it wait?"

"It's something about what one of the guards said…" Rarity's eyes widened and she looked anywhere but the Doctor before she put on a strained smile

"I'm sorry darling, Aloe and Vera are calling me." The white unicorn said rapidly before she slammed the door in the Doctor's face.

"Something's not right here…" the Doctor mumbled darkly, before he looked over to where Lyra and Bon Bon were sharing a strawberry smoothie. He looked around and saw many of the guards were standing around socialising, not at all on alert. Several couples were walking through the city as if nothing was the matter at all. "Not right at all."

* * *

"Oh that does feel marvellous." Rarity said as Aloe massaged her back.

"Yer so tense Rarity dearest, ya need to relax more sugar." Vera said placing each of the white mares hooves in hot water.

"Oh that's simply divine, but I can't relax, I have important work to do."

"Oh, it must be so hard, planning the war and such." Fluttershy said from her mud bath. Aloe and Vera looked at each other worriedly. Rarity flinched

"Yes…quite hard."

"Must be, we don't really do much work in the core, well we do! We travel across Equestria almost everyday… well, less so nowadays but we still do it, once in a while."

"Yes, well I don't like to talk about my work when I'm here, I come here to unwind after all." Rarity said rising from the massage chair and slipping into the mud bath with Fluttershy. Ditzy rose from her pedicure chair and slipped into the mud bath as well. She sighed and leaned her head back onto one of the towels around the rim.

"Great idea Rarity, I haven't been this relaxed since before the war started."

"Please! Stop talking about the war!" Rarity snapped in annoyance "er… Ditzy, dearest." The two mares stared at her in shock. Rarity cringed and turned to Vera. "Vera dear, could you get us something to nibble on?"

"Certainly Sugar." Vera said cringing before slipping out of the room. Rarity clapped her hooves and Aloe dropped her broom and left the room. Doohickey Climbed out of her hair-drying chair.

"Miss. Rarity… is something the matter?" Doohickey asked the mare. Rarity looked at them all and sighed before she shrunk a little into the tub.

"I'm afraid theirs a teensy tiny little thing that I forgot to mention…" the proper pony said quietly

* * *

The Doctor had spent the day buying supplies with Applejack and Applebloom. It made him laugh to see the way that Applebloom and her sister interacted with each other.

"I used to have a friend like you two are…" she said rather sadly

"Oh ya, where's he now?" Applebloom asked innocently.

"No idea, he went quite mad… bit disappointing actually… we used to be quite close… course then he started going on and on about drums…" the Doctor shuddered. "Yeah lets not talk about him."

"Oh, 'Kay." Applebloom said, shrugging. Suddenly Ditzy flew into their little group landing right in the centre.

"Doctor, you have to come with me, right now." She said angrily. The Doctor looked around

"What did I do?" he asked worriedly

"It's not you, it's Rarity." The mare said angrily. Applejack sighed

"What'd she do now?" the mare asked straightening her hat.

* * *

"WHAT!? WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVEN'T LEFT THE CAVE IN TWO YEARS?" the Doctor shouted angrily

"I said what I meant… none of the New Lunar Republic soldiers have left Moonhorn cavern. We've been here for two years, every since Luna sealed the tunnel out. None but her generals can leave…" she said quietly.

"So, you've all just been sitting here, get makeovers and drinking smoothies, while of Equestria goes up in flames!" he spat angrily. Rarity snorted angrily.

"DO NOT speak to me that way! Do you think I am proud of this? Proud of the fact that we've been sitting here like ducks while good ponies, ponies I once knew, are slaughtered by the droves?" Rarity asked angrily, tears streaming down her face. "I have tried, but Luna is afraid, she is afraid of her sister, and with reason. We all saw what she did to twilight, it was… it was terrifying." Rarity took a fortifying breath "Luna is afraid that her sister has become something she cannot face."

"Like what? She's already gone as far down as I think she can go." Doctor said angrily. Doohickey finally realised what the problem was.

"Luna is afraid that Celestia has become Nightmare Moon." The filly said. The adults turned to her. "Or at least… a Celestia version of Nightmare Moon."

"Exactly." Rarity said sadly. She turned to the doctor "Luna is afraid if she overpowers Celestia she will become that monster once more, and so, we sit here and we hide, I do not know what Luna is waiting for… perhaps something just like this… an impossible plan, that just might work." Rarity said quietly looking at Applejack.

"It ain't gonna do much help if we defeat Celestia though, Luna 'll be too afraid to rise a power if Celestia is gone, and Cadence has her hooves full with the crystal empire. Twilight is too young anyhow… who's gonna rule Equestria?"

"I don't know." Rarity said sadly. "But I do know that the only way we could even tell Luna of such a plan would be to pass it through Trixie…" the white mare said with distaste.

"Trixie?" Lyra asked with a grimace "she's the only one in contact with Luna?"

"I'm afraid so… which is why, I suggest, that we don't inform the princess, until we've reunited with all of our friends." Rarity said turning to the doctor. "Trixie would most likely try to find someway to sabotage it…"

"Why's that? We're trying to save Equestria!" the Doctor said in shock

"Trixie 'll do anything fer power, I reckon if Luna rises ta the throne, Trixie 'll lose her right hoofed side, she'll stop at notin' ta keep it, even keepin' the war goin'…" Applejack said grimly. The core ponies all looked around worriedly.

"It's decided then, we tell no one."

"Er…" Bon Bon said. Lyra rubbed her neck laughing weakly.

"Who did you tell?!" Rarity asked in fear.

"Some old friends of ours, Ditz…" Lyra said. Ditzy gasped, and then smiled widely, her eyes sparkling. Suddenly there was a knock on the Tardis door. Ditzy flew to the door and threw it open when she saw who was at the door.

"Hey There Ditz, bin a while huh, don't worry, I still wub ya." Vinyl Scratch said, holding her purple shades on her nose, smirking, as Octavia Melody chuckled quietly behind her.

* * *

A/N:

VINYL-MELODY! YEEEESSSSSS! Ack too excited for my own cliffhangers! But they're BACK! I'm SOOOOO happy! Kay! Be sure to review they provide my sustenance and cure my writers block! Leave your favourite cupcake/muffin type! Vote in the poll…

Wub you all…\:{p

ACK! TOO AWESOME!


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Clears Skies or The Return of Loyalty

"Well, yeah I was upset! Imagine my surprise! I join the Republic to fight the good fight, and they trap us all in a cave for two years; it's like doing half of Celestia's job for her!" Vinyl said angrily slamming her soda bottle down on the Tardis kitchen table.

"It was most definitely not what we were expecting, a touch more than disappointing." Octavia said sipping her own soda daintily. She and Vinyl had been officially accepted into the Peace Core. Now they sat beside the other core ponies telling them of their adventures, dismal as they were.

"Still can't believe Rarity spilled her guts to you though, you must really have backed her into a corner." Vinyl said laughing. Rarity puffed up in anger.

"I was not backed into a corner! I told them because I wanted to, I wouldn't tell them if I didn't want to." The white unicorn said arrogantly.

"Hey, I'm just callin' it like I see it." Vinyl said matter-of-factly. Rarity saw red.

"Well then don't mind me fore calling you an unsophisticated brute!" she said angrily. A dark grey hoof slapped her. Octavia was standing, her front hooves on the table, leaning very close to Rarity.

"Never, call my super special somepony, a brute, ever again." She said dangerously. Rarity had a hoof on her face. she looked quite stricken. Finally she swallowed and placed her hooves on the table, there was an angry red hoof print on her cheek.

"I apologies, Vinyl, for calling you such a horrid insult…" Rarity said quietly. Vinyl was staring between Octavia and Rarity.

"Tavi, don't slap people when they insult me, makes ya look kinda mean, as for you Rarity, ah just don't mention it again, I've bin called worse." Vinyl said. Doohickey watched the DJ pony and couldn't help but notice how carelessly cool she was. She slouched just so, that she looked laidback, but not lazy. Her mane was quaffed in such a way that she wasn't too wild looking, but she still looked like the kind of pony who liked to party. In short, she looked awesome, and by the way she flaunted herself, she knew it too.

"So, we're heading to Clousdale huh?"

"Nope." Applejack said.

"Huh? Ain't that where Rainbow's based?" Vinyl asked.

"The Doctor overheard two guards complaining about how Rainbow's entire base of operation is being moved to Ponyville…" Ditzy said. She giggled and turned to Applejack "Celestia think you've been kidnapped." The core ponies laughed.

"If she only knew." Applejack said with a chuckle

"I'd pay money to see the look on her face if she knew the truth." Lyra said.

"Before she destroyed us all…" Bon Bon said quietly. The ponies all fell silent at that. The doctor stuck his head into the kitchen.

"We're gonna landing in Ponyville soon. Doohickey, what's your plan?" the Doctor asked sitting with the ponies. Ditzy handed him one of the sodas. The ponies turned to the filly. She snorted a bit at the hilarity of it. She had tried for days to be accepted as a working member of the team and suddenly, over night really, she'd become their leader.

"I have a plan, it'll involve Applejack, then Pinkie Pie, but I need to borrow something from you," she said trotting up to the Doctor. The Doctor looked a bit confused

"What's that?" the Doctor

"Your sonic screwdriver." The Doctor spewed the mouth full of soda he had all over Rarity. She screamed bloody murder and began glaring daggers at the Doctor, who was in the process of clearing his airways. When they didn't clear after a few coughing attempts Ditzy pounded him on the back. At last he was able to breath and after a few gasping breathes stared at the cross eyed filly like she had a third crossed eye.

"You're joking right." Doohickey had never been more serious and the Doctor paled as she shook her head. "Look okay, my sonic is a highly sophisticated piece of machinery, it's not a toy to play with, besides… I don't want you to break it, it's the only one in this universe, it'd be impossible to make a new one, modify mine: yes, create a new one: no."

" I just want to use an EMP to paralyse Rainbow, it's the only was we'll be able to get her unto the Tardis." Doohickey said. The Doctor looked at the filly, after a while she sighed and reached into his pocket for his sonic. He held it out to her, drawing it back when she reached for it.

"You'll be extra careful with it?" he asked worriedly. Doohickey glared

"Yes." She said firmly, nodding. He held it out again, before drawing it back, again.

"Just an EMP? Nothing else?"

"Yes." Doohickey said with annoyance. Once again he drew it back as she reached for it

"Maybe I can…"

"Just give her the screwdriver Doctor!" Ditzy said with annoyance. The Doctor quickly handed it over. Doohickey rolled it in her hoof, pushing buttons.

"Is anypony willing to be my test subject for this… I can reverse it right away, but I need to get the pulse just right."

"I'll do it." Vinyl said taking a fortifying swig before standing before the filly. Doohickey clicked with the screwdriver a few more times before she turned it to the white unicorn DJ pony. The blue flash was accompanied by an annoying buzz. Vinyl seized up instantly and would nearly have fallen over if it hadn't been for Pinkie and Octavia catching her. Doohickey blasted Vinyl a second time and the pony moved again. She took her glasses off and rubbed her eyes with the same hoof.

"Man that gives ya a headache." She said.

"Good, it'll make Rainbow disoriented… she'll be less likely to think straight, it'll give us an advantage." Doohickey said. Everypony nodded. Pinkie Pie was bouncing in her seat, uncontrollably happy. Doohickey looked at her.

"Now, you said Rainbow would remember you if we really drilled it into her, why is that?"

"Because Rainbow is my bestest friend in the whole wide world!" Pinkie said bouncing around her. Doohickey turned to Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy.

"Doesn't that kinda bother you?"

"OH Doohickey, Dearest. She's not talking about our sort of friendship. We're all each others friends but Rainbow and Pinkie Pie… they were a touch more than friends my dear." Rarity said. Applejack and Fluttershy giggled when Doohickey's eyes widened in understanding.

"Shoot! You and Dash? Good going Pink!" Vinyl said flipping her head back so her glasses leapt over her eyes. She nodded it and they fell back into their proper position.

"Thanks Vinyl." Pinkie said sitting beside the DJ pony.

"Yes, congratulations! It's nice to see couples that haven't been sheltered from the war are still very much in love." Octavia said glancing sidelong at Bon Bon. The cream pony snorted

"Lyra and I were married long before you two even thought of becoming an item Octi, a little war isn't going to break us apart now." Bon Bon said holding Lyra's hoof. The Doctor couldn't stand it anymore

"You two are married?! Since when?!" the core ponies all looked at each other

"I'm afraid it doesn't make sense, the fact that you can be so dense." Zecora finally said after everypony else remained silent. The Doctor just blinked, before he glared a bit.

"I'm not dense!"

"Yeah, I kinda got the vibe that you are, Doc." Vinyl said sipping her drink looking sidelong at Ditzy, who looked a bit put out at the Doctor's obliviousness.

"Are there anymore couples I should know about before we get moving?" The Doctor asked in annoyance.

"Twilight Sentry, Rarity and fancy pants had a thing going, think they're done now though." Vinyl said looking at the fancy mare.

"Oh Luna's mercy Yes! That brute wanted mean to side with Celestia… the nerve of him."

"Kay, um… ooh, yeah, their Fluttershy and…" Vinyl stopped as Fluttershy began to shake her head. "Not anymore? What happened to you guys? You were so cute together!"

"He disappeared, I haven't seen him in years now." Fluttershy said sadly.

"Aw man, that's to bad Flutters… 'm sorry…"

"Oh it's okay." Fluttershy said quietly.

"Right… so that leaves… yeah, that's it. Twilight and Flash Sentry is a thing. Tavi and me; Lyre and Bonnie; Pink and Dash. There ya go Doc, you're no longer in the dark." Vinyl said rounding off her list.

"I suddenly feel very alone," the Doctor said quietly.

"Why's that?" she asked

"I'm the only stallion on this ship," he said quietly.

"Better look out Doc, there are five straight single mares on the prowl." Vinyl said mischievously. Rarity and Applejack put on incredibly fake bedroom looks on, Fluttershy squeaked and sunk under the table. Zecora stared at him with indifferent while Ditzy blushed like a tomato and glared at Vinyl. The company all laughed as the Doctor ran from the room in horror.

* * *

Doohickey army crawled from one collection of barrels to another. Applejack followed her.

"This ain't one o' yer better plans."

"It was all I could think of okay…here's good, buck the top on off." Doohickey said directing Applejack to the barrels of Apples beside them. The Rancher did as she was told. The two of them dived into a nearby bush as a few guards walked by. Several of the apples were crushed but a lot of the guards tripped on them, rolling on them rather comically. When the last guards fell a very familiar voice called out to them.

"What do you think your doing on the ground? Get up you lazy dogs and get back to work!" Doohickey shook the bush loud enough for it to rustle. Rainbow Dash turned quickly to the source of the sound. She spotted the shaking bush. She flew right up to it ready to spear the bush when a filly face with blue crossed eyes popped out.

"You've been had." Doohickey said before Rainbow looked down to the device the filly was holding in her hooves. One bright blue flash and Rainbow Dash knew no more.

* * *

The cyan pegasus woke in a plain grey room. It was all very strange to her. She couldn't really remember what had happened. After a few seconds she remembered the filly and the bush and her last words. _you've been had_. A trap! Rainbow instantly began looking around.

"Okay you little buggers… where are you hiding." A slight breeze ruffled her fur. She turned with a smirk. "There." She flew into the door, hooves ready to pound through the wooden door, and banged, hard, into the steel door of the room she was it. She slid down it slowly before landing on her hooves and falling over. "Okay, not there… ow." She picked herself up and rubbed her forehead. Suddenly the door opened. Rainbow turned to the pony that was entering only to see it was the filly, who was still holding that weird stick with the blue light.

"If you cause any trouble I will blast you with another EMP." The filly said dangerously.

"Fine… who are you anyway? Where am I?"

"My name is Doohickey, and your on the Tardis… it's a machine that…"

"I know what it is… the Peace Core uses it as a base, it's a blue telephone box." Rainbow said.

"That's bigger on the inside if you hadn't already noticed." Doohickey said.

"Yeah, I figured when you said I was on it… pretty neat actually, how do you do it? Is it a spell?"

"Nope, it's time lord technology, it's an alternate dimension inside a box." Doohickey said.

"You mean like aliens?" Rainbow asked her curiosity peaked.

"Yep, like aliens."

"That's… awesome!" Rainbow said doing a few flips. Then she landed again looking grim. "Are you the pony that kidnapped Applejack?"

"We didn't kidnap her, she came willingly, once we saved her."

"Saved her from what?"

"Celestia's mind control." Rainbow burst into laughter.

"Mind control? Really, that's the best you could come up with? Celestia's not controlling my mind!"

"Then you've done all your terrible crimes of your own will?" Doohickey asked.

"Yeah I have, I never do anything unless I really want to."

"I don't think your super special somepony will be happy to hear that." Rainbow blinked owlishly

"Super special… I don't have a super special somepony!"

"Or any of your friends."

"Friends?" Rainbow asked in confusion.

"Yes, your friends, you used to have lots of friends." Rainbow looked a around a bit. She chuckled.

"Well yeah, I always thought it was kinda weird that an awesome pony like myself didn't have any friends… who were these friends of mine anyway, and if they were such good friends why weren't they fighting with me?"

"Well for starters, Twilight Sparkle and Applejack used to be your friends."

"Really." Rainbow said unimpressed "Applejack I can see, but the egghead? Really?"

"Then there was Rarity and Fluttershy." Rainbow burst into laughter again.

"Fluttershy?! The pansy captain of the core!? Look kid, my friends would have to be pretty tough to keep up with me and Fluttershy…" Rainbow laughed again. After a while she wiped away a few fake tears "that's rich."

"Oh, and I almost forgot. Pinkie Pie." Rainbow Dash suddenly froze.

"What did you say…?"

"Pinkie Pie… she cared about you an awful lot… if you really committed all those crimes of your own mind…" Doohickey said walking away towards the door.

"Pinkie…" Rainbow's pupils widened. Suddenly the room was flooded with a bright red light. Doohickey stood just past the door. Pinkie Pie was standing just outside the door as well but off to the side so that Rainbow couldn't see her. She was looking at Doohickey with worry. Doohickey just turned to her with a smile and nodded. Pinkie smiled wide and jumped in front of Doohickey. "PINKIE!" Rainbow shouted when the light cleared and she saw the pink mare. She flew to her and they embraced in a tight hug.

"Oh Rainbow I missed you so so so so so so so so so…"

"Okay Pinkie, you can let go now…" Rainbow said as the hug tightened

"So so so so so so so so s…"

"Pink-HE!" Rainbow shouted as Pinkie Pie tightened the hug to the point that Rainbow couldn't breath.

"SO MUCH!" the hyper mare finally finished before kissing Rainbow on the cheek. Rainbow smiled and nuzzled Pinkie's nose. Then she got sad, her face falling and her ears drooping. She wiggled out of the hug and walked away from her. There were tears in her eyes

"I'm a murderer…" she said quietly trying in vain to rub the tears away. Pinkie's hair flattened a bit. The rest of the rescued elements appeared beside her.

"So what?" Rarity said holding her head high. Rainbow turned to the white mare in shock. "We're all murderers. Everyone of us has done terrible thing for what we've believed in… it's not what we've done that matters…" Rarity said. Applejack stepped forward.

"That's right, it don't matter what ya done, and it don't matter why ya done it… all that matters is whether or not yer friends can look ya in the eye and say 'I forgive ya'… an I do Rainbow. I forgive ya." Applejack said looking Rainbow right in the eye.

"And I forgive you as well." Fluttershy said.

"We all do." Rarity said. Pinkie stepped forward again. She held Rainbow's face in her hooves and looked right into her eye

"No matter what." She said quietly, rubbing away Rainbow's tears. The pegasus leapt forwards and wrapped her arms around Pinkie, crying into her shoulder as Pinkie rubbed her back and smoothed her mane. The ponies all allowed the couple their moment. After a few minutes Rainbow sniffed a bit and looked around.

"Are Sweetie and Applebloom here?"

"Yes, why?" Rarity asked. Rainbow sniffed and stood.

"Because I know where Scoots is." She said. The Mare gasped, none louder then Pinkie.

"Who's Scoots?" Doohickey asked. Rainbow turned o her.

"Scootaloo, she's my honorary little sister… she also happens to be Celestia's messenger, which is sorta my fault… She'll come with me if I convince her too… but she's not exactly an innocent little filly any more…"

"I know." Rarity said. Everypony turned to her "that last time I saw Scootaloo, do you know what she said to me? 'By the order of Queen Celestia, ruler of the Solar Empire and all of Equestria, I have the authority to kill you.' it was terrifying. I have never been more horrified to hear anything in my entire life." A few of the ponies rolled their eyes at Rarity's dramatics. Doohickey stared at the ground contemplatively for a few second before she looked at the group of mares

"We have to help her. We wouldn't be the Peace Core if we didn't try and help her, it's our job." Doohickey said. She and the group of ponies found their way to the control room. Vinyl and Lyra were talking in one corner while Bon Bon and Zecora discussed something about natural sweeteners. Octavia was talking to Applebloom and Sweetie bell about music. The Doctor had his hoof on the console looking bored Ditzy was hanging over the bars around the console looking the same. Doohickey figured this would raise their sprits "Doctor, we've got a pick up!" she said trotting up to him. He perked right up whipping around the console before he paused, blushing

"I didn't actually ask where we're going did I?" Doohickey looked at him, unimpressed before she giggled.

"Rainbow?" everyone turned to the blue pegasus

"She's outside Manehattan last I heard, on her way to Fillydalphia, she'll be going pretty fast." Rainbow said

"Who will?" Ditzy asked.

"Scootaloo." Rainbow said. The two fillies talking to Octavia whipped around.

"We're gonna pick up Scoots?" Applebloom asked, eyes shining. Rainbow nodded. The two fillies bounced up and down spinning in a circle. The Doctor smiled and pushed more buttons before he pulled the lever and they whirled away. As they landed he opened the door. Outside they could see a bend in the road before a thick forest

"How fast will she be going exactly?" he asked, Ditzy could see his plan and went to get some pillows setting then up into a big pile in front of the door.

"Maybe fifty kilometres per hour, possibly sixty though." Rainbow said. Ditzy cringed and took out a few more pillows. Then the Doctor ushered everyone off to the side

"Wait for it…" Suddenly an orange and purple blur whipped around the corner, through the Tardis door, and into the huge pile of pillows. Ditzy shut the door and the Doctor pulled the lever. In short, they kidnapped poor Scootaloo. Some of the pillows exploded into a flurry of feathers, a scooter was found amid the wreckage before a filly head wearing a Red helmet with a yellow stripe and a solar empire emblem popped out of the pile. Scootaloo leapt out of the pile and into an attack stance

"By order of the Queen Celestia, Ruler of…"

"Yes yes, ruler of Equestria, Solar Empire, all that rot, we know your speech but I'm afraid killing us will do little in this situation." Rarity said pulling the helmet off Scootaloo's head. Doohickey could see she was orange, a bit darker than Applejack. She had rather small wings for a Pegasus and her mane was styled to look just like Rainbow Dash, despite it being a dark mauve colour. She was wearing a blue satchel with the Empirical seal on it. She glared at all of them before her eyes Settled on Applejack and Rainbow dash.

"Commander Rainbow dash! Sergeant Applejack! I see that the same fiends who kidnapped you, no doubt for imformation, have kidnapped me." She said standing at attention in salute.

"Er, at ease, soldier…" Applejack said. Scootaloo dropped her hoof and relaxed her stance. She looked a bit confused.

"Haven't you been tortured?"

"Tortured!? Why I never? We're the Peace Core, not empirial brutes!" Rarity called out in indignation. Scootaloo looked horribly confused. She looked at Rainbow Dash.

"What's going on here?"

"It's okay Scootaloo… everything's alright." Rainbow said wrapping Scootaloo in a hug. The fillies eyes widened before they flooded with tears and she began to cling to Rainbow, sobbing. Rainbow soothed the little filly. After a while she turned to the group.

"Don't tell anyone about how soft I'm being okay…" the ponies chuckled

"I won't tell a soul." Doohickey said smiling as Scootaloo continued to sniff, hugging Rainbow for all she was worth.

* * *

A/N: If you want to know Scoots' story your gonna have to answer the one shot or no question… if by the end of the month I don't have more than 10 votes I won't put them on here, obviously you guys don't care either way. So if you DO want to know, vote in the poll, leave your comments and reviews, and, as always, leave your favourite muffin/Cupcake type. I am working on them; it just takes longer than I thought it would… sorry for the delay


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

A Spark or The Return of Friendship

A/N: there is singing in this chapter, anything sung is _like this_. The song is an original written by myself based on songs from season 2 and 3, enjoy.

* * *

For two weeks now the core had been at a stand still. Twilight remained locked up in the Canterlot Library, close to Celesta's watchful eye, and until she left, the core could do nothing to approach the young princess. The core re-instated their ferry service, helping anyone who broadcasted by ferrying them to the Crystal Empire. After awhile they grew bored of this, until one day, everything changed. Rainbow had gone out to scout. She came back panting, her wings strained from flying as far as she did.

"Flash," wheeze. "Sentry," pant. "In Ponyville!" she finally gasped out. The Bearers gasped. The Doctor looked around in confusion.

"What? What does that mean?" he asked the group.

"Flash Sentry is Twilight's personal guard! She must be in Ponyville!" Rarity said happily.

"Then we have to go right now! She might not be their much longer! She could already be gone! Doctor!" Doohickey said in a panic. The Doctor was already pushing buttons and flipping switches.

"Ponyville here we come!" he shouted happily. The Tardis whirled around. Doohickey turned to the ponies.

"Rarity, Vinyl, Lyra… I need your help…"

* * *

Twilight Sparkle was not a happy camper. First, Applejack is kidnapped by extremists, then Rainbow dash, the idiot, who was sent to apprehend the criminals gets kidnapped as well, then, an important message was intercepted between Manehattan and Fillydalphia, and finally, she was pulled away from her books to deal with all of this. Honestly, she was surrounded by idiots. Her personal guard was no different. He always wanted to chat with her. Especially when she was working or reading something important.

"Lieutenant Sentry! Despite what some ponies may have told you I do not like to socialise. I am not here for a social call, and neither are you. I cannot deal with your… perkiness, right now, please leave." The orange guard pony's ears drooped.

"But Captain Twilight…"

"LEAVE!" she finally shouted teleporting Flash Sentry away with magic. She blew away the purple haze from her horn, not noticing the orange under hue. She walked through the town, unhindered now, over seeing the introduction of slavery work in the town. Celestia had plans for Canterlot, mainly a large statue of herself, which required quite a few resources. To transport those resources she planned to enslave the rural population. Ingenious. She could see that the changes were working well; any who could buy their way out of the service had already done so, the rest of the ponies were rolling without complaint. Several more outspoken workers already showed signs of whipping. Excellent, that will show a good example to any further rebellion. All and all Twilight's mood was beginning to improve. The library was homey if not a little dusty, she also found some of the information present useful. She was a bit puzzled as to why some of the book where missing but waved it away as Celestia moving those works to the Canterlot library. After a few reports from the guards in charge Twilight got up from her reading table and walked to a nearby bakery. The couple there worked in silence, their children cooing in a nearby crib, but paused in shock when Twilight appeared before them.

"Bakers! I would like a box of cupcakes to be delivered to the library. Make sure they arrive at six o'clock sharp. Good evening." Twilight said. The mare frowned sadly and nodded. Twilight flipped her mane with an uninterested looked on her face before walking out of the bakery. Three soldiers stood at attention as they entered beside her. "At ease." She said in passing. As she walked through town she was presented with much the same behaviour before a commotion caught her ear. She galloped around the corner to a shocking display. Two guards on the ground a third brandishing a whip at a smoke brown pegasus filly. The guard cracked the whip and it wrapped around the filly's foreleg. She yanked hard and the stallion toppled over before she whipped it down and knocked the guard out with the handle. Another charged from behind, brandishing a spear. The filly used her wings and rolled away from the spear before kicking the guard in the face. A third guard ran at her. She leapt into the air before diving and slamming the guard's face, hard, into the ground. Twilight watched as this filly knocked out two more guards until the little thing turned to her. She chuckled, her horn glowing an ominous pink and orange "Do you know who I am little filly?"

"You're Captain Twilight Sparkle of the Empirial army, your highness." The filly said bowing slightly. Twilight's eyebrow raised a millimetre, but she kept her face blank to hide her confusion

"Indeed, I have created spells that have taken thousands of lives, yours will be nothing." She said charging a spell.

"You wanna bet?" The filly said smirking deviously. Suddenly a trio of lights: grey, yellow and blue, slammed into Twilight from all around her. She was plunged into a sea of black.

Vinyl levitated Twilight to the Tardis. Meanwhile Lyra and Rarity were interrogating Doohickey.

"How did you do that?" Rarity asked in shock. Doohickey cringed, she hadn't intended to get caught but she wasn't about to let the guards to shackle her. Never again.

"You were all like POW, and they were like arghhh, then you whoosh smash!" Lyra said animatedly, complete with actions. Rarity and Doohickey watch this display with raised eyebrows

"Yes…" Rarity said quietly after the Unicorn finished, her face betraying how strange she thought this mare was. Doohickey felt a bit self-conscious.

"My mama got me self defence classes… she wanted me to be able to protect myself." Doohickey said quietly. Not exactly a lie, her mama had taught her how to do those moves after all.

"Quite impressive." Rarity said. Doohickey smiled weakly. "We better get going before they come to." She said with that the trio ran for the Tardis.

"Twilight 's in the grey room." The Doctor said quickly. Doohickey nodded as he and Ditzy began to follow her.

"I'm, not going in the room." She said turning the hall corner. "You locked the door right? Like I asked?"

"Yes, but I don't understand why we aren't leaving." The Doctor said following the filly.

"You'll see." She said happily. The Doctor and Ditzy looked at each other as the filly disappeared into a door beside the door to the 'grey room' as the Doctor had dubbed it.

"She's become our leader hasn't she?"

"Yep." Ditzy said giggling

"Ah well, someone had to do it, I'm told old."

"No, sometimes you're too young." Ditzy said straightening the Doctor's tie. The Doctor laughed at that. Then he looked at the door Doohickey had walked through

"That door wasn't there this morning, it's almost like the Tardis can talk to the little filly… I wouldn't be surprised. Funny though, the Tardis usually hates children." The Doctor said before he held out an arm.

"I shall escort you, Miss Hooves?" Ditzy snorted but wrapped her arm around his.

"Very well, to…the kitchen!" she said pointing in the direction of the kitchen. The Doctor laughed as they walked, arm in arm, to the chosen destination.

* * *

Twilight woke with a groan. She shook her head and looked around. The surroundings were unfamiliar

"Where am I?" she asked herself.

"The grey room on the Tardis." Doohickey said through the microphone now connected to the room. The Tardis was like putty in the little filly's hooves. Anything she wanted, the Tardis gladly gave. She watched from the one-way window as Twilight turned around rapidly.

"Where are you?"

"That's not really important." Doohickey said.

"Just let me out!" Twilight shouted angrily

"Nope." Twilight frowned heavily.

"What do you even want with me?"

"I want you to be the princess of friendship again." The filly said. Twilight frowned again; more out of confusion then anger this time.

"How can I be the princess of friendship?" Twilight asked, rolling her eyes at the title "if I don't have any friends."

"You did." Doohickey said.

"But where have they been?"

"Hidden in plain sight, somewhere you saw them everyday, but didn't think to look."

"Why?"

"Because there are ponies who think you're a threat, they are afraid that you'll be able to defeat them if you regain what you've lost."

"And what have I lost?" twilight asked officially intrigued.

"The magic of friendship." Doohickey said sadly. Twilight was definitely intrigued.

"Very well, if you think I can regain this 'power of friendship' I will comply, if you let me out, I will co-operate… but I will leave when I regain this power." Twilight said matter-of-factly. Doohickey smirked and cut the connection

"You won't want to." She said happily leaping from the chair she was on and running out the door. She turned to Pinkie Pie. "Tell everypony she's ready." Pinkie pie squealed and dashed away in a pink blur. A few seconds later there was a small stampede as five very enthusiastic ponies waited for Doohickey to open the door. She did as such and standing in the door with a strained smile and closed eyes was Twilight Sparkle.

"Hello, it nice to meet you, I'm ready to learn about friendship." She said through her strained smile.

"She still don' remember us?" Applejack asked the filly

"Nope, I figured it'd be just like the time you all forgot you're cuie marks…" Doohickey said smiling before she disappeared in a brown blur.

"Some help she'll be!" Rarity said, visibly affronted at the filly's 'abandonment'. The others rolled their eyes. Even Twilight cringed at that comment.

"I see you were all chosen to be my friends. Commander, Sergeant; Fluttershy of the core, Pinkie Pie… and General Rarity of the New Lunar Republic… could have picked some ponies more, studious." Twilight said with a cringe. Rarity looked further affronted

"I can't hear anymore! It's the worst possible thing ever." She leaned back in preparation to faint then stopped "I don't have a chaise lounge. Applejack, be sure to tell the Doctor that we need to go to Couches and Quills and get a chaise lounge." Applejack glared

"Why don' you tell him yerself?"

"Fine I will." She said flipping her mane.

"What are we gonna do to get her to remember us?!" Pinkie asked gravely. Her mane was a bit flatter then usual. Rainbow Dash flew up to Twilight

"We remind her who we are… that's why Doohickey stayed in Ponyville… this is where we all met, what better place to reminder her who we are?" Rainbow asked, flying before the group.

"Well that settles it! To Ponyville!" Rarity said hooking her arm with Twilight. Twilight looked at them all confused but nodded at their smiling faces. The group galloped out of the Tardis, unhindered by the other into the destroyed town.

"Oh dear, I hope the animals are safe." Fluttershy sad worriedly

"Forget the animals! What about my Boutique!" Rarity shrieked.

"Um guys. Those thing can wait, right now Twilight needs us." Rainbow said. The group nodded to each other. Pinkie Pie suddenly smiled wide.

_Every each of us is different! We've all got different lives!_

_But don't let your judgment cloud you, and miss our true disguise!_ Pinkie sang out.

"Is she?" Rarity asked

_Cause friendship is the answer! Friendship is the Key!_

_You'll never know it's magic, if you don't try to see!_

"She is." Rainbow said, smiling, before she jumped in.

_Adventure is awaiting you, if you just come along! _

_With all of us together, nothing will go wrong! _

_Only all together, will our awesomeness shine through,_

_Trust me in my loyalty and I'll show you what to do!_

Twilight's eyes widened suddenly. There was a bright flash of red and the ponies were all shocked to see the Element of Loyalty on Rainbow Dash's neck. Suddenly Twilight was hugging her.

"RAINBOW!" she shouted happily. After a few shocked moments the bearers began to whoop and cheer.

"Well we know what ta do now!" Applejack said.

"It's always in a song isn't it." Rarity said smiling.

"Mhm!" Pinkie said nodding rapidly. The other ponies laughed and began to sing all together, with the exclusion of Twilight, who was still missing several memories.

_Cause friendship is the answer! _Rainbow sang

_Friendship is the key!_ Fluttershy sang

_You'll never know it's magic!_ Applejack sang

_If you don't try to see!_ Pinkie finished it off

The group began walking down the street together, singing their song. The guards all tried to stop them but Rarity and Twilight made good work of them.

_ Fun is what I'm good at, that I won't deny! _

_But friendship is my other skill, and so I really try!_

_I'll always keep you laughing, it's kinda my job!_

_No matter if your name is Phil or Jill or…_

" Marzipan, Oo! Or Elizabeth the second! Maybe William, Tiffany is good to! Wow there is a ton of really good names out there!" Pinkie said laughing. The bearers all face hoofed, or at least all but Twilight who collapsed into a fit of laughter. Pinkie did too, and when a light blue flash of light signalled the return of Laughter they all did as well.

"Only Pinkie's element would return by making Twilight laugh." Rainbow said snorting

"Yes, otherwise it'd be too easy." Rarity said "MOVING ON!"

"Oo, right! Urm… where were we?"

"The chorus my dear." Rarity said.

"Oh! Right!" Pinkie said

_Cause friendship is the answer! Friendship is the key_

_You'll never know it's magic, If you don't try and see!_

Rarity jumped up and claimed the next verse.

_Beauty of the body will put you in the lead!_

_But beauty of the heart is far better than greed!_

_We've all got Special talents, things for which we live!_

_Mine is generosity, and the willingness to give!_

The return of the Element of Generosity carried them to the chorus

_Cause friendship if the answer! Friendship is the key!_

_You'll never know it's magic, if you don't try to see! _

Applejack claimed the next verse

_Now I pride maself on bein' bold an Strong!_

_But those things like that don't matter, a run out before long!_

_It's honesty that matters! The trust that is gained!_

_It forms a bond strong as steel that time will never maim!_

Twilight celebrated with the others as Honesty returned.

"You're Fluttershy!" she said happily pointing a hoof at the yellow pegasus

"Oh, you remember me?" she asked

"Well not really, but you were there with me on all my adventures, I always felt like you were very brave."

"Oh I'm not brave…"

"Oh you're timid, but you're also brave!" Twilight said nodding. The other bearers looked at each other, Pinkie sang the chorus again.

_Friendship is the answer! Friendship is the key!_

_You'll never know it's magic, if you don't try and see!_

Fluttershy cleared her throat and sung one last verse

_Sharing is my specialty, though timid I may be,_

_You'll never find a sweeter soul, so ponies do tell me._

_My kindness has changed a few, made them better friends._

_Never have I raised a hoof to cause a harm to mend_

One final flash of light caused Kindness to return. The ponies all turned to Twilight but noticed something off.

"Where's the Element of Magic?" Applejack asked.

"A spark will make the sixth element appear." Twilight said before she cleared her throat and joined their song

_Cause friendship is the answer, of that I finally see!_

_It's more then I could alone ever be!_

_But time know has come for me to make amends,_

_Do you know that you're all my very best friends!_

Twilight sang out one more note before she was lifted into the air by three pink lights. The rose her higher until she turned her head skyward, eyes glowing pink. The light circled her body before meeting at a place just above her horn. A giant beam of bright pink light shot into the sky, it shone like a beacon for all of Equestria to see. Ponies in great cities miles away stopped what they were doing to watch the bright spectacle. In Canterlot, ponies watched in shock, but none more then Celestia. The tea she'd been drinking had fallen to the floor. She was watching, wide eyed with fear as the beam dissipated. In Ponyville many were shocked to see that the town was now encased in some sort of magic bubble. All of the guards had been removed from the town and now poked at the bubble only to receive shocks. Twilight was on the ground amid a circle of ponies. After a while she rose and as she did she unfurled something long ago taken: her wings.

"All hail Princess Twilight!" one Ponyville citizen cried out. Twilight smiled weakly waving to the ponies around her. Many of them bowed to her and she cringed a bit.

"Okay okay! Clear out! She needs space!" Applejack cried out over the din. The group turned to Twilight and wrapped her in a big group hug.

"Thank you girls… I am very sorry… for everything I've done, I hope this bubble makes up for it…" she said looking at the pink dome surrounding the town.

"Um, yes, darling, about that, what exactly did it do?"

"It restored the land, fruit will grow in sweet apple acres again. It also will keep any form of guards out. It's officially neutral territory. New Lunar Republic soldiers can't come here, but neither can Empirial ones." Twilight said.

"But… How?" Applejack asked.

"Yeah? It was totally awesome! But how did you harness the magic like that?" Rainbow asked flying above the group admiring the pink protection.

"Actually it was more of a controlled release, there was a lot of excess magic, the Elements knew they were needed, so they generated magic to take out the threat, but because they weren't connected to us anymore, the magic was stored, they sort of… over heated, I just helped then distributed the magic in a productive way." Twilight said matter-of-factly.

"Well, you're sure still a genius! I'll give you that." Rarity said. The group of six mares laughed before they turned back to the town.

"I better make a speech…" Twilight said before she nodded and flew over to the town hall steps. "Citizens of Ponyville! May I have you attention please!" the ponies gathered around Twilight. "This shield will protect you. No soldiers may enter so as long as you stay here you will be safe. I will be travelling with my friends so while I'm gone I will be leaving Mayor Mare in charge." Twilight stepped back and let the beige pony into the spot light

"Thank you your highness." The mayor said bowing to Twilight. Twilight smiled and nodded her head. "We all thank you for this wondrous gift, may your journey be fruitful! Good luck!" she said. The crowd parted as Twilight walked through it. Twilight smiled and nodded at the ponies she passed.

"Too young eh?" Rarity commented to Applejack. Applejack just watched Twilight navigate her way through the crowd. Several foals handed her flowers.

"Maybe not." She responded after a while. By the time she cleared the crowd she had a variable bouquet of wildflowers

"Erm? Is there a vase where we're staying?"

"I reckon there is somewhere on the Tardis." Applejack said.

"The Tardis… is that the place I was in before?"

"Yep! Actually, there's a little filly you have to meet." Pinkie said excitedly.

"Why's that?" Twilight asked

"Well dear…" Rarity began knowingly

* * *

A/N:

Wheeoo! That was a long one! As for the song, it's kinda like the song 'A True, True Friend', but with the rhythms of the theme song. True bronies will see what I did on the final verse. Twilight's return will really bring the plot to head. Twilight is a genius though, and smart people always make things more complicated. Be sure to leave comments! Tell me what your favourite cupcake/muffin is! All these things will end the war! I promise! BTW THIS IS MY LONGEST CHAPTER YET! WHHHOOOOOPPPP! X{D

Also! In the spirit of season five, I'll be posting a new chapter every Saturday right after the new episode! And after the fic's done, I've decided that I will post the one shots, so tune in for those too! See you next week!


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Complications or A Change of Plans

Days went by after Twilight returned. Doohickey found the purple alicorn very informative and kind. She practically lived in the library though, remaining there late into the night. Doohickey found it a bit disconcerting.

"Good morning Doohickey, what brings you to the library today? What would you like to take o…" Twilight caught herself. She blushed and smiled "I have got to stop doing that…"

"It's alright… I would have liked to have seen that tree library of yours, it sounds super cool." Doohickey said getting one of the books on equestrian history before settling down into one of the many cushions.

"What are you reading about?"

"The banishment of Nightmare Moon and the imprisonment of Discord, who ever that pony is." Doohickey said. She had been reading it for a while now; she was just getting to the part that explained the political repercussions of Nightmare Moon's banishment.

"You should know that Discord's imprisonment came before Nightmare Moon and he was not a pony, he was a draconaques."

"What's a dragonakiss?" Twilight chuckled as Doohickey stumbled over the word.

"No, a draconaques, they are magical beings that create chaos with their magic." Twilight said before she pulled down another book showing a picture of Discord trapped in stone.

"Ur, are they always grey like stone angels?"

"No, here he is trapped in stone, he was freed and reformed four years ago."

"Did you know him?"

"Yes, I am willing to say he was my friend. We may not have been particularly close but…" Twilight trailed off sadly, putting the book away.

"Well this isn't really about the actual events, mostly it's about politics, it's kinda boring actually, it caught my eye cause it was about Nightmare Moon."

"Well if your researching Nightmare Moon, read this, page 27, the mare on the moon." Twilight said handing the filly another book. Doohickey read the passage.

"Huh, neat! But how did the stars aid in her escape exactly?"

" I'm not actually sure, perhaps it was a ritual? Maybe it was a magical convergence, that would be an interesting area of study actually, thank you Doohickey!" Doohickey blinked owlishly.

"I didn't understand a word of what you just said."

"Well, they're very advance magical studies. Bit complicated."

"I don't get magic, it doesn't have rules like time travel does." Doohickey said putting the book away. Meanwhile Twilight was trying to understand how time travel had rules. As the filly landed before her Twilight shook her head.

"I have to ask, now that the elements have all been reunited, what exactly is your plan?" Doohickey blinked her in confusion.

"That's easy!" she said smiling "we just blast Celestia with the elements! It'll return balance to Equestria, everything will be back to normal!" she said trotting out of the library. Twilight stared after the filly with worry, before she turned back to the library. She had some things to research. Later on that day Twilight made her way through the Tardis with dread in her eyes. She found the core ponies sitting around the kitchen table, enjoying various meals while they each told loud, entertaining stories. Suddenly Pinkie Pie's left back hoof jerked out to the side. She gasped loudly

"Somepony has bad news!" she said loudly. Everypony looked around until Pinkie Pie stood and pointed at Twilight

"Twilight! Somepony here has bad news, you better run!"

"I'm the one with bad news." Twilight said worriedly stepping into the kitchen.

"And what is this bad news exactly?" the Doctor said worriedly. Twilight sighed and set down the book she had in her satchel on the table. It was 'The Elements of Harmony: a reference guide'.

"I don't think the Elements of Harmony alone will be enough to defeat Celestia." She said after a few seconds. Everypony stared at her in shock, none worse then Doohickey, who felt like she was Celestlana all over again.

* * *

"What now then?" Ditzy asked as everypony, minus the 'Cutie Mark Crusaders' gathered around the Tardis console.

"I don't know." Twilight said sadly "but I don't think the original plan will work."

"BUT WHY NOT!" Doohickey shouted angrily, speaking for the first time since Twilight told everypony her bad news "WHY'D YOU HAVE TO GO AND RUIN EVERYTHING!" there were tears in her eyes and on her cheeks. She shook her head and flew out of the room. Ditzy cringed and flew after her. She looked back to the doctor. He nodded and waved his hoof at his companion. The door closed behind the grey pegasus.

"Okay, Twilight, sugar cube, why don'chya think it'll work exactly?" Applejack asked. Twilight opened her book.

"It says here that the elements maintain balance in Equestria! Now, lets look at what we know about Equestria." She pulled a chalkboard out of nowhere. Rainbow stared at her.

"How do you do that?"

"Shush! Pay attention!" Twilight said picking up the piece of chalk. "Equestria relies on the two princesses to raise the sun and moon. Luna is the princess of the night, she raises the moon, Celestia is the princess of the day and she raises that sun. Celestia has undergone a change similar to that of Luna into nightmare moon. This means if we were to use the elements on her we would likely see the same effect. That is to say, she would be banished to a celestial body, likely the sun, since she is so connected to it. If this happens, Luna will be the sole princess, which means she will have to rule Equestria as well as raise the sun and moon. The problem I see is this; Luna is not as powerful as Celestia is, because her imprisonment has stunted her growth. So it may not be possible fore her to raise both the sun and the moon. If this is the case, the elements will not work against Celestia, because banishing Celestia wont bring balance, it'll just create more chaos. Are their any questions?" Twilight turned to the ponies behind her. Lyra, Rainbow, the Doctor, Vinyl, and applejack were asleep. Bon Bon was doodling; Fluttershy was tying to keep Rarity awake as she nodded off. Octavia was passing noted to Zecora who was giving Twilight divided attention. Pinkie Pie was the only one who was actually listening to what Twilight had to say; she wasn't even blinking. Twilight looked at the group, unimpressed, before she conjured a balloon, filled it with air, then conjured a needle. The loud pop woke everypony up.

"Time paradox!" the Doctor shouted groggily. Everypony laughed.

"What's a time pair of socks?" Rainbow asked. The Doctor blinked at everything confusedly.

"Ditzy, I need a stick of butter." he said putting his head back down.

"Did any one hear what I was saying!?" Twilight asked angrily.

"Yeah," Vinyl said stretching with a grunt "something about how the elements won't banish Celestia and Luna being less powerful, and chaos. I kinda wasn't paying attention."

"I noticed." Twilight said deadpanned

"Twilight…" The Doctor yawned widely before he continued, "I keep forgetting how similar you are to Miss. Snooty Sparkle."

"To who?" Twilight asked, more than a little confused

"Never mind, anyways, what exactly was the point of that incredibly boring experience?"

"That we need to find some other way to defeat Celestia."

"No silly!" Pinkie said bouncing up to Twilight. "We just have to convince Luna to help us!" everypony stared at the hyper mare.

"Uh, Pinkie, ya kinda lost me." Rainbow said, rubbing her head with her hoof "how was that bore fest connected to that train of thought exactly?"

"Thoughts are trains! Oh my gosh! I had no idea! Oo! Oo! Twilight! What do my thought trains look like? Isthereaspellforthat?Therehastobe!Imeancomeon!Whowouldn'twanttoknowwhattheir trainslookedlike!Thatcouldbeamajorbusiness!Therecouldbebooksandsemina…

"Pinkie!" everypony shouted. The mare stopped and looked at them

"What are you shouting about?"

"Luna! Helping! What exactly did you mean?" Twilight asked. Shaking the pink mare slightly. Pinkie giggled.

" Silly filly, you should have asked!" several of the ponies face hoofed. She bounced up to the chalkboard and flipped it over.

" Luna was once Nightmare Moon right, and she was super powerful right? So what if she became Nightmare Moon again! Then she could just go after Celestia herself!"

"Yes, then plunge Equestria into eternal night and bring about the end of the world!" twilight said. Pinkie laughed.

"No silly, be Nightmare Moon, but Princess Luna!" Pinkie said matter-of-factly. Everypony was even more confused, except for the Doctor who clapped his hooves and laughed.

"I get it!" he said leaping up. "What she means is that Luna will have all of Nightmare Moon's power, but she'll still have her brain." Everypony suddenly understood.

"Of course! Then she could just swoop in and defeat Celestia!" Rainbow said excitedly.

"But Celestia will just be defeated, we'd never be able to hold her anywhere, she's too powerful." Twilight said. Several of the ponies drooped a bit, including Pinkie. Suddenly Applejack nickered

"Naw! We wait fer Luna ta defeat Celestia, then we use the elements of Harmony on a weakened Celestia!" Twilight smiled widely.

"Of course! That way, Celestia is gone, but Luna is powerful enough to raise both the sun and moon! They switch places! Luna becomes the powerful one, Celestia the weakened! This is perfect!"

"There's only one problem, darling…" Rarity said quietly. Everypony turned to her.

"What is it?" Twilight asked.

"Luna hasn't left Moonhorn tower in two years, and her only contact is Trixie… how are we supposed to get her on board for this exactly?"

'I hadn't thought of that…" Twilight said with a cringe.

"Well we gotta try." Vinyl said pushing her glasses up her nose. "If we don't the war will never end well."

"She's right, this is our last chance, either we stand and fight, or Equestria goes down in flames and I don't know about you, but I love Equestria and I'd like for it to bounce back from this." The doctor said.

"Equestria is our home, we can't give up, no matter what." Applejack said.

"For Equestria!" Twilight said putting her hoof in front of her. Everypony joined her.

"FOR EQUESTRIA!"

* * *

A/N: OH MY GOSH! DOOHICKEY RAGE! Give her a break; she just had her hopes crushed. Besides, Ditzy 'll make it all better; she'll give her a blueberry muffin and some hugs. It'll be good. I want to make it clear tough that Ditzy feels maternal instinct towards Doohickey, but hasn't actually connected the dots yet, none of them have.

OR HAVE THEY! (Pinkie gasps)

My plans for the next chapter are in full swing and there will be Luna. I LOVE LUNA! She is best princess! But not for this fic. Sorry folks, there is no best princess, lets look at the list shall we!

Celestia: evil

Luna: cowardly

Twilight: inexperienced and relatively weak (compared to Celestia and Luna)

Cadence: has yet to make an appearance, but since the crystal empire isn't attacking we can assume she is in the same boat at Luna.

OR CAN WE! (Pinkie gasps)

You'll see next Saturday folks! I give no more spoilers. ;)


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Muffin Top or The Princess of the Night

The Peace Core landed in Moonhorn cavern early in the morning. Shops were just opening; sleepy subjects were opening their windows with yawns. It was peaceful. Twilight took in the surroundings with awe.

"Amazing!"

"Yeah, it's pretty neat." Rainbow said brushing it off. Several ponies rolled their eyes. Twilight turned to the girls.

"Rarity, how do you suggest we continue?"

"Well, Trixie will try to intervene, and since there is no way to reach Luna without going through Trixie's outpost, perhaps, out ranking her?"

"Out ranking?"

"Well, you are royalty, the guards will listen to you before they listen to her." Rarity said flipping her mane. "But you'd have to look the part!" Rarity said, eyes sparkling.

"What do you mean look the part?" Twilight asked worriedly.

"We need to get you to Aloe and Vera right away darling! Your mane needs to be quaffed and you need a shinning coat, and your feathers have to be gleaming!" Rarity said going into full beauty mode. She dragged the panicking alicorn away. The others cringed empathetically for the princess.

"Poor thing, she'll be in Rarity's clutches till noon I reckon." Applejack said with a laugh.

"Oh dear, perhaps I should go with them, just to make sure she doesn't go too overboard." Fluttershy said, flying after the duo. Vinyl turned to the group.

"How bout you guys come with us! Tavi and I know this great club down the street, I can get you all in, VIP, free of charge."

"How, exactly, can you do that?"

"Simple." Vinyl said sliding her glasses into place, "I'm the owner."

* * *

A few hours later The Doctor and company were enjoying some very good food while Vinyl spun some amazing songs. They would get up and dance at some songs. Currently Vinyl was spinning the beats for this colt group who were singing a very up beat song about Discord.

"They could have picked better subject matter, but I like the song."

"It's a bit mean though…" Pinkie said her hair slightly deflated.

"I suppose it could be heard as I bit harsh, but nopony seems bothered… ah! I just said nopony! Ditzy! I just said nopony!" the Doctor said. Ditzy laughed as she danced some more. Suddenly the door slammed open throwing the record player off. Everypony turned to the door to see a seething blue mare in a purple witch hat and cape that was covered in stars. She stomped over to the bar.

"I, The Great and Powerful and VERY IMPORTANT Trixie, demands a drink, NOW!" the pony at the bar glared at her before pouring her a drink. She chugged it down in one gulp before slamming it on the counter again. "Has the great and powerful Trixie's guests arrived?"

" Yeah, the two walked in about two in the morning."

"Good. The Great and Powerful Trixie demands music! Play DJ! And fill my drink again!" Vinyl growled before she spun the record and began the song again. The Doctor stared at the mare as the core all collected at their table again.

"That's Trixie? Bloody Hell, she's a nightmare!" the Doctor said watching as the mare walked off to a table in the shadows where two cloaked ponies were waiting. By the magical glow of their horns they were both unicorns.

" Yeah, she's definitely gotten worse." Lyra said. "It's almost like that time she got a hold of that alicorn amulet and tried to take over Ponyville."

"That's lovely, why did you tell me that?" the Doctor asked. Suddenly fan fare broke through the sound around them.

"CITIZENS OF MOON HORN CAVERN! WE REQUEST YOUR PRESENCE BEFORE US!" a familiar deep female voice called out.

"Princess… Luna?" the Doctor said before he leapt from his chair and galloped out the door with everypony else. No pony noticed that Trixie remained alongside her companions, scoffing as the ponies galloped in the direction of the voice.

* * *

The ponies all stared in awe at the alicorn princess on her stage. Two years had passed since she had last spoken too them. She waited as the ponies gathered. Twilight, Rarity and Fluttershy ran over to the Doctor and company.

"Well. Rarity's plan worked then! What exactly did you all say to her?"

"We didn't, Twilight went up by herself, and the guards wouldn't let us accompany her." Fluttershy said.

"Yes! Can you imagine! The gull of those guards! They were under the impression that we would gang up on the princess and attack her! Me! Attack royalty! I wanted to buck them so hard their grand children would feel it!" Rarity said with a huff. The core ponies rolled their eyes. As the last pony gathered Luna cleared her voice.

"CITIZENS! WE ARE HAPPY TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN! TOO LONG IT HAS BEEN!" everypony cringed and held their ears. The Doctor shook his head a bit.

"Ditzy, talking in my left ear will you. I think I've gone deaf."

"Oh dear." Fluttershy said before she flew above the crowd and landed beside Luna.

"Um, remember your highness, quieter."

"Right! Like this!" Luna asked still shouting.

"Quieter." Fluttershy whispered.

"Urm, like this?" she asked lowering her voice down to a regular volume.

"Exactly." Fluttershy said smiled.

"Hazah! Thank you once again Fluttershy, we are forever in your debt once more!" Luna said, bowing to the yellow pegasus.

"Oh, it's no trouble, really." Fluttershy said, blushing. Luna turned to the crowd again and Fluttershy stepped back.

"As we were saying. Citizens, it has been many days since we last appeared before you. We apologies. Fear and cowardice clouded our judgement, and it was only with the return of Princess Twilight Sparkle that our eye's truly opened. We will be traveling with Princess Twilight and the elements of harmony, on a journey to defeat Celestia. Could the champions of this journey step forward?"

"That's our que! Come on then!" the Doctor said. The core ponies stepped onto the stage along with the elements of harmony. Luna was a bit shocked to see them all but took it in stride.

"Together, with the help of these ponies, we will defeat Celestia and Equestria will be free once more!" with that Luna sent fireworks into the sky. Ponies cheered and danced. The guards looked excited. Luna turned to the group as the crowd cleared to begin the celebration.

"We were not expecting so many ponies to be accompanying us. Will there be enough room?"

"More then enough! If not then I can fiddle around with the dimension calibrator and expand a bit." The Doctor said. Walking up to Luna.

"Your words ever confuse us Doctor, what is a dimension calibrator?"

"Never you fret your highness! I've got everything completely under control."

"He wishes he was the leader." Vinyl said stepping forward. "Your highness, may I present the leader of the peace core." Everypony stepped back and allowed Doohickey to step forward. Except she didn't. She was staring at Princess Luna with star eyes and broad smile on her face.

"Ur… I think she's broken Ditzy." The Doctor said, nudging the filly with his hoof. Suddenly she charged forward.

"Ohmigoshohmigoshyouaremynumberonefavouriteponyinthewholewideworld!" the filly squealed. The core ponies' mouths dropped open. The filly pranced around happily. "MynameisdoohickeyohmigoshIcan'tbelivei'macctuallyeetingyouthisissooooooamazingIcouldscream!"

"Why, I've never seen her this enthusiastic before, you have quite the fan your highness." Rarity said. Luna was watching the filly in shock. The Doctor and Ditzy both watched her in amazement.

"She's acting like a filly." The Doctor said in amazement.

"I know! It's weird!" Ditzy responded. Suddenly a scream broke through the group. They all turned to see a pink unicorn with a yellow mane jumping up and down.

"DITZY!" she jumped up onto the stage they were standing on and gave the pegasus a huge hug.

"Sparkler? What are you doing here?" she asked the unicorn.

"Mom and Dad and I joined the republic! Ohmigosh! They're going to want to see you! It's been ages! Ditzy! We thought you were dead!" the unicorn said hugging the mare again.

"Um, Ditzy, how exactly do you know this mare?" the Doctor asked. Ditzy smiled weakly.

"She's my sister."

"WHAT!?" the core ponies all shouted

* * *

"Nice ta finally meet you all! Ditzy sent us enough letters about you guys to fill four shoe boxes." Ditzy's father said, shaking everypony's hoof roughly. He was a light grey-blue pegasus with a grey mane and a walrus moustache. He had green eyes and bushy eyebrows. His cutie mark was a shield with the sun on it and grass covered in dew. "Names Morning Dew!"

"Wait! Dew as the tiny droplets of water on the grass in the morning?" the Doctor asked.

"Uh, yeah, what else would it be?" the stallion asked looking at the Doctor in annoyance.

"Nothing! Nothing at all! Couldn't be anything else!" he said quickly, smiling weakly. After he walked away he whispered to himself "Ditzy Dew! Well that explains the bubbles, could be water droplets now that I think about it, honestly Doctor, you're losing your touch." Ditzy snickered at that.

"Don't worry, you're not the first to make that mistake." Ditzy whispered to him.

"This is my wife, Twinkle Toes." He said. The purple eyed, light pink coated, unicorn with the light purple curly mane, not unlike Rarity's, smiled. She had two intertwined pink ballet slippers inside a heart for a cute mark.

"It's nice to finally meet all of these ponies that Ditzy wrote about." The mare said with an accent similar to Rarity.

"That's your mother?" the Doctor asked Ditzy in shock. Ditzy cringed a bit.

"Ditzy doesn't look a whole lot like you…" Lyra said. Everypony nodded in agreement. The married couple looked at each other in confusion.

"She didn't tell you? Well, I had thought… oh, well now this is awkward." Twinkle Toes said, cringing. "I'm her step mother, Ditzy's mother died when she was filly in a cart accident, I really thought she would have told you." everypony looked at Ditzy who was staring at the ground. She looked away when Lyra walked up to her. She flew pasted everypony and up the stair before a door slamming was heard. "Oh dear… it's seems I've gone and ruined things again." Twinkle said before walking up the stairs after the pegasus.

"Ah muffins." Morning Dew said rubbing his face with his hoof. Octavia chuckled weakly.

"Ditzy, says that sometimes."

"Yeah, she always really loved my wife's muffins."

"Twinkle or your first wife?" Octavia asked.

"My first wife, Muffin Top."

"Oh my god! That explains SOOOOO much!" The Doctor said. Several other ponies nodded with a laugh.

"You're welcome to stay the night, our home is yours." Morning Dew said. Vinyl shrugged and flopped into the couch next to Rainbow. Pinkie and Octavia cuddled with their respected some ponies. Bon Bon and Lyra settled on the rug, while sparkler led the fillies to their guest bedroom.

"This'll be just like our sleepover!" Applebloom said happily. The two Cutie Mark Crusaders nodded happily.

"I've never been to a sleepover before…" Doohickey said. The three fillies gasped and dragged the fourth away to begin the 'traditional activities of a sleepover'. Everypony settled down somewhere to sleep. Except for the Doctor who was caught up in scanning the photos on the wall. He spotted a burgundy mare with a brown bushy mane holding a foal in her arms. The grey pegasus foal had tiny crossed eyes.

"Little Ditzy." He mumbled placing his hoof on the frame.

"That's Muffin." Morning Dew said beside him

"She looks… nice." The Doctor said, looking at another photo where the burgundy mare was staring at an older Ditzy with love in her eyes.

"She was the best thing that even happed to me." The Doctor picked up another photo. It was Ditzy, she looked about school age, She had pigtails coming out of the side of her head, thick glasses that corrected her vision but made them appear three times their normal size, and wiry braces on her teeth. The Doctor cringed a bit. "Don't tell her you saw that one, I kept it when she told me not to, cause she looked so cute with her pigtails." Morning Dew said holding the photo out in front of him.

" I suppose, she could be considered a bit cute, it you get passed the bug eyes and train tracks." The Doctor said. Suddenly he was pushed up against the wall and crushed by Morning Dew's hooves

"What'd you just say about my little princess?"

"Nothing!" the Doctor said around the hoof at his throat.

"That's what I thought." Morning Dew said releasing the Doctor who smiled and dashed off to settle down, choosing a spot between two ponies so that Morning Dew couldn't get him without waking somepony up.

"Bloody terrifying! Talk about over protective parent! Yeesh!" after a few minutes Morning Dew stopped fiddling around in the kitchen. He climbed the stairs. The Doctor was still a bit too curious to sleep and he wanted to go join the fillies in whatever fun they were having. So he followed the stallion. As he reached the top of the stairs he saw Morning Dew standing in front of a door.

"Muffin, can I come in?" the stallion asked. The Doctor was a bit confused, wasn't Muffin dead?

"Come in." Ditzy's voice called out quietly. The Doctor smiled at that

"Calls her muffin, that's sweet." He mumbled. He crawled up to the door and placed his ear up to it so he could hear what was being said.

"Were you terrorizing the Doctor? I heard a bang."

"No, we were just looking through some old photos and he said somethin he shouldn't have, so I showed him where he went wrong."

"So you were terrorizing the Doctor."

"Alright, but hey, it's what I'm good at."

"Once a constable always a constable."

"Words ta live by."

"Hmm."

"Ah come on sugar cookie, what's wrong?"

"Nothing…"

"Can't fool me, I was the best detective in Filly, what's up?"

"It's… well it's about the Doctor…"

"And how yer absolutely-" the sentence was cut off because the Doctor jumped when somepony tapped him on the shoulder. It was Twinkle Toes. She was laughing quietly into her hoof at the Doctor.

"Your secret is safe with me dear." Twinkle whispered, winking. She was carrying a tray of muffin with her magic. She knocked on the door.

"Ditzy dear? Can I come in?"

"Sure mom!" Ditzy called out. As the door closed behind her the Doctor began to listen again.

"I made you some banana nut muffins! I figured you'd miss some home cooked food, you can take them with you!" Twinkle said happily. The Doctor heard the quiet thumps of muffins hitting the ground. He assumed that Ditzy had turned the tray over. Morning Dew and Twinkle Toes gasped.

"You have to stop." Ditzy said firmly, throwing the tray onto her bed with another quiet thump.

"What do you mean?! I thought you loved muffins!"

"I do. But you have to stop. You're not my mother; you're my mom. I don't need my mother; I need my mom. Besides…" there was a pause "I hate banana nut muffins, almost as much as English muffins."

"Oh… whoops…"

"I don't need you to bake me muffins, you're not a baker like mum. You're a dance instructor, I need you to teach me how to dance, and help me pick out the right shoes to go with a dress and cry at my wedding and…"

"WHAT'S THIS ABOUT WEDDINGS?" Morning yelled angrily. There was a clang. It sounded like Morning Dew had taken a muffin tray to the face.

"Honestly Morning! You'll wake up all our guests!"

"Dad, I'm not a little filly anymore! I'm 21 years old and whether you like it or not I'm an adult, and I can make my own decisions. Someday I'm going to get married, your gonna have to except it, because I expect you to walk me down the isle." Ditzy said defiantly. There was silence. The Doctor chuckled into his hoof.

"Ow, dear, did ya have to hit so hard? I mean I can take a hit but I think you've broken my face." Morning asked, obviously avoiding Ditzy's comment.

"You're fine! Honestly!" Twinkle responded.

"Dad!"

"Alright! Alright! It's just hard for me ta see you as anything but my little princess."

"Someday I'm gonna be some other stallion's princess too…"

"I know, but you're still so young in my eyes I'm 46 years old after all, I'm not exactly young myself."

"I know, but you have to let me grow up."

"Fine…" Morning grumbled

"There, was that so hard dear? Honestly! You two are so stubborn!" Twinkle said with a sigh.

"Mom!" Ditzy shouted angrily

"It's true!" Twinkle said. "Well, come on dear, I'm exhausted! I think it's time for bed."

"Right, gotta be up for the morning shift." The Doctor heard the spring in the mattress shift and took that as a que to hide. He hid in the hall closet just in time to twinkle to leave through the slits in the door; she searched the hall for him and smiled when he was nowhere to be seen. Morning followed with a big yawn. The Doctor watched as they entered the door at the end of the hall. As their door closed the Doctor relaxed, only for the door to be whipped open again. Morning Dew was glaring at the hall closet. He stared walking towards the closet. The Doctor began to sweat. Turn away turn away turn away the Doctor thought desperately. As the stallion reached out a hoof to open the closet his salvation came in the form of Twinkle Toes voice.

"Darling! What are you doing out there? Come to bed!" the Doctor slumped in relief as the stallion turned and went back to his room. The Doctor waited a few seconds before opening the door. Ditzy opened the door the same time as him.

"I know you were listening." She said. The Doctor blinked at her owlishly

"But… but I… and you…" Ditzy smiled.

"One of the benefit of having crossed eyes is the ability to see shadows under the door without drawing any attention to them." She said. The Doctor laughed at that.

" Oh Ditzy, you're a delight." Ditzy blushed at that. "I was going to go check on the little ones, care to join me?"

"I would love too." As they walked down the hall the Doctor looked at Ditzy.

"So, your father was a police officer?"

"Yep, he was a detective for a while, got promoted to constable, he was air chief for a while too, but he was exhumed from duty with honours a year before the war started."

"What happed?"

"Wing injury. He and a group of pegasi saved a helicopter from crashing into some factory in Filly, but one of the blades clipped his wing and it broke real bad. It never really healed right so He can't fly very far anymore, and his wing cramps in the winter." They began to whisper as they approached the guest bedroom. They opened the door and smiled at what they saw. Sweetie Bell and Applebloom were sleeping on the same pillow, snoring impressively. Scootaloo was hanging over the bars of the bed also snoring. Doohickey was curled up in the corner of the bed, using Applebloom's tail as a pillow.

"That's adorable." The Doctor whispered.

"Let's straighten them out." Ditzy said. The Doctor nodded. Gently they rolled Sweetie Bell onto her own pillow and covered both her and Applebloom with blankets. Ditzy gently picked up Scootaloo and set her onto the bed before covering her with a blanket. The Doctor replaced Applebloom's tail for an actual pillow and covered Doohickey with a blanket. Ditzy brushed a bit of Doohickey's mane out of her face and nuzzled her before she dragged the Doctor out of the room.

"You're good at that."

"I had a lot of practice with Sparkler, she was just a foal when Twinkle and my dad got married." She yawned. "Well, I better get to bed, goodnight Doctor."

"Goodnight Ditzy. Sweet dreams." He said. She blushed again and closed her bedroom door. The Doctor smiled and turned to go downstairs, maybe to read a bit, or look at more photos, when a silhouette in the back garden caught his eye. He found the back door in the kitchen. Princess Luna was standing in the back garden, eyes closed head tilted to the sky.

"Good evening Doctor." She said as the Doctor continued to stare.

"Good evening… your highness, if I may be so bold, why aren't you sleeping?" the princess remained silent. The Doctor simply shrugged and watched the cavern ceiling as the princess did. He could see that she had made tiny little glowing crystals grow out of the ceiling so that it looked like the night sky, despite the fact that they were miles underground.

"For two thousand years we watched our people, unsleeping, through the night so that we could protect them, now, when the world is most at risk, we watch them still." Luna spoke finally.

"I see." The Doctor said quietly still watching the crystal stars

"And yet, despite our watching, we were blind." Luna said. The Doctor turned to the alicorn.

"How so?"

"We should have seen our sisters change, we should have been able to see what she was becoming, and I knew the signs! I should have been able to stop it! I was-"

"Young, frightened, foolish, hopeful." The Doctor said placing a hoof on the young alicorn's shoulder. "None of those are bad traits."

"But… you don't understand! When Celestia and I were young we spoke an oath before the royal counsel, and oath to forever protect all of our subjects. And I have been sitting here, hiding, while Equestria and half her people burn! I'm unfit to rule this land!" the princess was in tears. She levitated her crown off her head. "And I am unfit to wear this crown!" she yelled, forcefully throwing her crown onto the garden grass behind her and broke down into tears, collapsing into the grass. The Doctor looked at the crown behind him. He trotted up to it and picked it up, carrying it back to Luna shaking the dirt and bits of grass off. He placed it before the weeping princess and waited. The princess looked at the crown in front of her.

"I an no better then Nightmare Moon, I should not rule Equestria."

"You're right, you aren't any better then Nightmare Moon." The Doctor said. Luna stared at the stallion in shock. "After all, Nightmare Moon was protecting her subjects as well wasn't she?"

"What?" Luna asked in confusion.

"It says in your history books that Nightmare Moon was a patron to the bat ponies, who were shunned by the ponies who frolicked in the day and came out to enjoy the beauty of the night." Luna stared at the Doctor in shock, recognition in her eyes. "It says that you first met them when you were young and were saddened by how the ponies treated them. It got worse when the ponies didn't seem to appreciate you either." The Doctor said. Luna blinked and wiped her eyes, staring at the stallion. "At least that's how I interpreted it, Twilight says there's a complicated magical theory behind it but I don't buy it! It's just… wibbly wobbly Stuff! … I love stuff! If I ever got an actually house, it'd be full of it!" Luna levitated her crown back into place and stood. She wiped her eyes and smiled.

"Thank you Doctor Whooves, we see now that our doubts are unfounded, we are forever in your debt."

"No need, I'll just promise not to tell any one you stopped using the royal we for a bit there."

"If you could, we would appreciate that." Luna said blushing. The Doctor and Princess laughed into the night below the glittering stars of Moonhorn cavern.

* * *

Miles below a cloaked unicorn mare slipped out of the city and into the tunnel to Equestria above. The pink glow of her horn surrounded the stone meant to block the way and destroyed it with a dark spell. The unicorn mare smirked before she galloped out of the tunnel and into Equestria. On she galloped under the real stars with a cruel grin on her face and a foul plot on the wind.

* * *

A/N: Gasp! Cliffhanger! OMG! What's going to happen to Moonhorn cavern! Who was the mystery mare! I gave hints, so if you think you can guess post in the reviews. The answer will be revealed next chapter so post right away. Also, Just want to make it clear, Sparkler, is not based off of the Doctor and Ditzy supposed other daughter. She's a mare that I made up on my own! I have the family photos featured in this chapter drawn so it's just a matter of posting them. Also, I choose Ditzy's least favourite muffin out of my own personal preference. I hate bananas, and anything with bananas in it, which includes banana bread and banana muffins of any sort. I have nothing against those who enjoy banana muffins, just don't kiss me after you eat them. As always, post a review, tell me what your favourite muffin is, and this is the chapter that explains why I ask. Muffin Top was a baker, for… guess what… yeah. You guessed it, MUFFINS! I'm making a collection, in memory of Muffin Top.

May she rest in peace.

And may we all hug Ditzy and drown in feels.

See you next Saturday folks, right after season five.


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The Plot Thickens or The Betrayal of Trixie

A/N: very complicated song in this, which is from a musical called 'The Count of Monte Cristo' here, is how the vocals work

~Trixie~

**Flam**

_Flim_

I hope that will help make it make sense, onwards!

* * *

Trixie was not having a good day. For two years she had been the sudo leader of the republic. Her word was law, then suddenly, _Princess_ Twilight Sparkle returns and steals her fan fare. She needed good news and she needed it now. With any luck her associates would be on time, for a change. She stomped off to The Spinning Cello, the only club in Moonhorn cavern, and, as Trixie would begrudgingly admit, the best club she'd ever been to before and obviously after the war. When she arrived she slammed the doors open with her magic. There was enough force behind it to stop the music, which irritated her further. She stomped over to the bar.

"I, The Great and Powerful and VERY IMPORTANT Trixie, demands a drink, NOW!" the pony at the bar glared at her before pouring her a drink. She chugged it down in one gulp before slamming it on the counter again. "Has the great and powerful Trixie's guests arrived?"

" Yeah, the two walked in about two in the morning."

"Good. The Great and Powerful Trixie demands music! Play DJ! And fill my drink again!" the DJ and every pony else glared at her before the music started again and they ignored her. The bartender poured her another drink.

"They're at the usual table."

"Right." Trixie said leaving a few bits on the counter. She walked off to the back table in the shadows with the feeling that some pony was watching her. She used a rear view spell to see that it was a brown stallion with a green tie and blue eyes. She scoffed "creep." As she was settling down the two cloaked unicorns in front of her lifted their drinks

"Trixie!"

"It's lovely to see you!"

"How have you been?"

"Are you felling well?"

"If not, then why don't you try our new and improved…"

"I don't need another one of your scams, I want what you usual bring me." Trixie said. The two ponies looked at each other. They each levitated a book out of their cloaks. One was black and red, the other dark blue with ebony bindings. Trixie reached out for them but the unicorns hid them again.

"We had to really look for these treasures."

"It took almost four days."

"And in the heart of Canterlot no less, risking our necks ever second…"

"Don't think I don't know about how you two are selling stuff to them. Risking your necks my flank!" Trixie said in annoyance, she could see what these two crooks were up to.

"Never the less."

"We still risked out hide. Especially for that black one, its protections were tough."

"Fine, how much do you want for it?" Trixie asked.

"Double." One of the unicorns said.

"What!" Trixie asked dangerously. Before she could scream at the pair fan fare broke through the sound around them.

"CITIZENS OF MOON HORN CAVERN! WE REQUEST YOUR PRESENCE BEFORE US!" a familiar deep female voice called out. Trixie turned shocked to the doorway.

"She did it… I can't believe it." She watched the brown stallion and his little group, as well as everypony else, rush out the door. When the bartender left as well she scoffed and turned back to the table bitterly.

"Well, it appears, my brother that these stuffy cloaks have become rather superfluous!" one unicorn called out.

"Indeed they have my brother! I say be rid of them!"

"Indeed!" and with a puff of deep green smoke the cloaks were removed and the two brothers donned straw hats.

"As you were saying Trixie our dear, the Flim and Flam brothers are at your service!" Flam said leaning forward.

"One and a quarter, that's all I'll give you." Trixie said. The two brothers looked at each other.

"Alright." Flim said taking the money and pushing the two book over to the unicorn mare. He began to count the coins with reverence.

"So, your eminence, you wouldn't happen to know the reason why Luna has come down from her tower now do you?" Flam asked.

"Princess Twilight Sparkle has returned." Trixie said bitterly. Flim chocked on the peanut he was eating while Flam sprayed his drink all over the floor. Trixie watch this display unimpressed.

"Wow, of all the things you could have said…" Flam began

"That was not what we expected." Flim finished. Trixie scowled.

"Apparently she and her friends are gonna save the world and end the war…" Trixie grumbled, not noticing the brothers horrified faces at that news "I mean! I've bee saying we should help for two years now! But does Luna listen? NOOOooooo, I don't have wings! I'm not a princess! So my words don't count, it's Just Not FAIR!" Trixie shrieked spinning around and tacking out her frustration on a table. After her dark spells there wasn't much left but some splinters and ash. Her chest was heaving with angry breaths and the brothers watched this crazed mare from behind the flimsy protection of their hats. Flim turned to his brother and suddenly got a genus plan. He grinned maliciously before winking to his brother. Flam was a bit confused but nodded. Flim walked up to Trixie.

"Poor thing, " he said as he sat her down on a stool and began massaging her shoulders "no one appreciates your genius…"

"You're right!" Trixie said.

"If only there were some way to show them all just how smart you are?"

"If only." Trixie said with a pout

"If only all of these troubles would go away." Flim whispered in her ear.

"I wish…" Trixie said with a sad sigh.

"Perhaps, if you find the right ponies, they will." Flim said.

"Maybe… wait, what?"

"Maybe you should think about your original goals after all…" Flim said "oh dear, I seem to have forgotten, what was your goal again?"

"To defeat Twilight in battle."

"Oh dear, you can't do that if she fights for Luna now can you…" Flim said smirking devilishly

"Can't do that anyways, she an alicorn, she's way to powerful." Trixie said moping.

"Well, you could always become an alicorn your self…" Flim whispered in her ear. Trixie's eyes went wide

"What did you just say?" Flim smiled victoriously.

"Well think about it, there's a power vacuum in Canterlot now, Celestia will be looking for another right hand mare, if you play your cards right, twilight can be made to look like the bad guy, and you," Flam took of his hat and played at being innocent "are just a humble pony who seeks to end this injustice." he put his hat back and grinned menacingly at her alongside his brother "Celestia will eat it up, and give you a pair of wings to defeat Twilight." Trixie's eyes sparkled before they dimmed a bit.

"No, it's to risky, what if she just kills me?" Flim and Flam looked at each other before Flam rolled his hoof, Flim nodded and they began the usual routine.

_We are friends are we not?_ Flim sang on one side of Trixie

_And our interests are the same; we collaborate, _

**And trust in fate to parcel out the blame. ** Flam followed on Trixie other side

_There are ends we've all got that can justify the means._

**We negotiate,**

_Then fabricate the facts behind the scenes. Keeping all the details vague and secrets hidden,_

**Safe in the balance sheet of those you trust, because, history is a story told by the winners of the fight! You imply a little, **

_Lie a little, _

**Testify and try a little, sailor** Trixie was grinning evilly now, rubbing her hooves together, Flim and Flam smirked, but their song wasn't done yet, if they were to get everything they wanted, there was still more to say. Flim began again.

_Who's gonna question what goes on in the middle of the night? Not a tinker,_

**Not a tailor**

_ Not the doctor, or the princess,_

~Or a jailor. ~ Trixie joined in, chuckling evilly. Flim and Flam broke in wide vicious grins. Ding ding ding, you have yourselves a sucker!

_ So we all are agreed, let's be vigilant and wise_.

**We must all pretend our royal friend was caught in her own lies. For our plan to succeed, we must share but one belief, Twilight Sparkle stays, and ends her day, inside the Canterlot keep!**

_Where the softest things she'll touch are stones and darkness, deep in the craggy darkened dungeon deep…_

~ Because history is a story told by the mare who makes the laws! ~

**We supply a little lie,**

_To help the gullible buy a little fable. _

~ What will become of the righteous mare who fashions Twilight's flaws? ~

**The rich!**

_And well respected, are no more to be rejected at our table_

~I'll be a comfort in her time of grief and anger; I'll the princess's ever-faithful acolyte, every night. ~

**A part of me wishes Twilight didn't have to languish…**

~But I can see, it's her or me!~

_Let her sit there and rot, till she's forgot,_

~LET HER ROT!~

Flim and flam smirked at that and Flam pulled out a contract.

"What's this?" Trixie asked

"Just a little insurance my dear friend, so you don't back out of the bargain." Flim said producing a quill.

"I don't know…" Trixie said unravelling the contract

"Come now dear, neither of us want to force you, but we are talking about our lives here… besides…" Flam began as the song started up again and Trixie nodded.

_**~History is a story told by the ponies who survive! ~**_ The three sang together with evil smirks.

~Let me sign and then initial! ~ Trixie sang doing just that; Flim and Flam smiled in triumph as she ended her signature with a little flourish and star. Flim rolled it up and hid it in his coat pocket.

**It's the truth if it's officially the story**

_What if the cost is one young mare, so three ponies can survive?_

~She's a price we have to pay~ Trixie said with a fake saddened look. Flim laughed a bit at that, while Flam drank some more.

_To live and fight another day for love and glory _

**She was standing in the way of precious justice set on sail**

~ So goes the story! ~

_Stick to the story! _

_**~HERE ENDS THE STORY! ~** _They all finished together with a vicious cackle from Trixie. She took a long drink from her tankard.

"I'll be leaving for Canterlot tonight, I'll leave the way open for you to meet me in Canterlot in a week." Trixie said winking

"And the Empirial soldiers to come and destroy Lulu!" Flam laughed with a slur

"You're drunk." Flim said to him. Flam laughed at that almost falling over when he tried to stand up.

"Of course I am! I've had three" he hiccupped "tankards of Moonhorn ale! 's the good stuff! Honestly Flim, who woolebd…woulnbed… wouldn't be." Trixie looked at him further unimpressed.

"As amusing as your brother's drunken display is, I've got to go get ready, keep him quiet Flim." Trixie said leaving.

"Of course Trixie, I wouldn't dream of letting any pony know!" Flim said waving her off. When the door closed behind her he laughed, "Unless somepony paid me to! Wonderful display my brother, very convincing."

"And only half a lie," Flam said smirking. He took another drink "after all, I could get drunk on this stuff."

"If you had three barrels." Flim said. They both laughed at that. Flam took another drink and put his tankard down.

"Flim… are you certain this plan is a good idea?"

"Yes, it'll be fine, that contract is perfectly legal and completely binding, besides, if she starts actually winning the war, we'll just stage a little assassination from the NLR, and low, the war is back on in a returned fervour, and we keep making money!" Flim said. The two smirked victoriously.

"Alright Flim, I've trusted you since birth, I won't stop now."

"And I you brother, if you don't like what's happening, we can back out all we want, another perk of the contract, we can remove it whenever we want." Flim said. The both donned their black cloaks again.

"I'm starting to love your law degree more and more." Flam said as the duo exited the bar into the celebration filled streets.

"Funny how, now that the court system is abolished, it's coming more and more in handy." Flim said. Flam nodded and together they laughed their way to their cart, where they would spend the next six hours counting their newly obtained money.

* * *

Trixie slipped away around 4 in the morning, the ceiling of the cavern a glittering parody of the true beauty of the stars. She crept through the city silently, like dangerous animal. At last she came to the secret tunnel. She travelled down it until she came to an apparent dead end. She smirked and lifted the boulder blocking the way. The cloaked unicorn mare slipped out of the city and into the tunnel to Equestria above. The pink glow of her horn surrounded the stone meant to block the way again and destroyed it with a dark spell. The unicorn mare smirked before she galloped out of the tunnel and into Equestria. On she galloped under the real stars with a cruel grin on her face and a foul plot on the wind. All through the night, throuout the day, and another night she galloped across Equestria, bartering supplies from rouge ponies, on her way to Ponyville. She crested over the hills surrounding the village on the second morning and was angered by what she saw. A bright pink glittering dome surrounded the town. It made her face heat with rage until her hair became inflamed.

"AAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!" she yelled angrily. As she was finished she looked around the dome and saw Empirial soldiers camped around the dome. She had an idea and, using a bit of dark magic, turned her cape and hat into a black cloak. She approached the guards. They pointed their spears at her.

"There's no need for that boys," she said with a chuckle. She made her eyes glow with dark magic before she looked up "I have information for the queen, I need a lift to Canterlot, I'll make it worth your while." She said levitating a small sack of coin before jingling it for emphasis. The guards smiled and rushed to get the bag. There was a bit of a scuffle, but in the end the legion leader gripped it tight. He ordered to pegasi to hook up to a chariot and in an hour, Trixie was flying through the skies of Equestria smirking. She arrived at the gates of Canterlot an hour later where guards stopped her again.

"Halt! Who goes there?"

"I have important information for queen Celestia, for her ears only!" Trixie said haughtily. The guard grumbled and opened the gates. She was led through the desolate city of Canterlot. Poor families lined the streets, mothers holding back hungry children, and fathers defending their families. Every so often a carriage would go by with a rich pony in it and they would glance down with smirks at the filthy ponies. Trixie found this display funny, and could see herself in one of those carriages, looking down on all of the ponies through her youth that said she would never go anywhere. Here she was, about to be the top of the top, if they could only see her now. At last they came to the castle and Trixie was led through the halls to the throne room. As she walked in she smiled at the decadence of the palace. She raised her eyes to Queen Celestia. She was regal as ever, but she had a ferocity that Trixie could really admire. She bowed low before the queen.

"Your highness."

"Who are you? Why have you come to see me? What is this information you supposedly have?" Celestia demanded in angry voice. Trixie scoffed.

"You could say please…" Celestia fired a spell at the guard to her right. He glowed bright orange, screaming loudly, before he was disintegrated, leaving nothing but a pile of ash that blew up into the room. Trixie blinked. "Or not, you should nave have to ask for anything. I am here to tell you that I know where Twilight Sparkle is."

"She is in Ponyville…"

"Ah yes, the bubble, I'm sure you've heard, but I'm afraid your information is woefully outdated." Trixie said with a smirk. Celestia charged her spell again. "Twilight is in Moonhorn cavern, she's being quite chummy with Luna actually."

"WHAT!?" Celestia screamed standing. Trixie stepped back a bit.

"In fact, she's been telling Luna all of your secrets, she's given the New Lunar Republic the plans for the magical crossbow, as well as taught them a lot of the spells in the Empirial arsenal… or so I've been told." Trixie said in a slightly unsteady voice. The queen began to pace back and forth angrily.

"I have another piece of information you'll find most intriguing as well." Trixie said. Celestia turned to the mare.

"And what is that?" she asked dangerously quiet.

"The way into Moonhorn cavern." Trixie said. Celestia was shocked. Then she threw her head back and laughed.

"Twilight sells me out, then you come to do the same to Luna, most entertaining."

"I'm not doing this because of Luna!" Trixie said angrily "I could care less about her, its Twilight I care about." Trixie said walking over to the window of the defeat of nightmare moon. "As long as she fights for Luna, I fight for you." Trixie said turning back to the queen

"Then I will endeavour to keep Twilight my enemy…now about getting in."

"Ah, ah, ah. Not so fast your highness, I never said I'd do this for free." Trixie said. Celestia's eye twitched angrily.

"Of course… name your price."

"YOUR CROWN!" Trixie said in an incredibly fake horrific voice. Celestia blinked at her and glared. Trixie kept up the fake face for a few second before she burst into laughter. She wiped her eye with her hoof and waved it at the queen "honestly, you've got no sense of humour, I just want one teensy tiny little thing…" Celestia was not in a very generous mood anymore but she indulged the mare if only for information.

"What is that?"

"I want to be your faithful student." Trixie said bowing before the queen. Celestia stared at the mare and grinned menacingly "and have everything that goes with that title." Trixie finished, pointing at the final stained glass window. Celestia stared at it. The depiction of Twilight Sparkle with wings and a crown, the princess of friendship. Celestia turned to the mare.

"You still have not told me your name…" Trixie smiled and with one spell dropped the cloak around her. She began to charge a dark magic spell, one of the more messy ones in her arsenal, not only to impress the queen, but also to instil fear in the other guards.

"The name is Trixie." Celestia stared at the blue unicorn. She was using dark magic, it was something very few could do properly. "And as you can see," She turned to the final guard and fired her spell. He shrieked, as his limbs were ripped from his body before his skin began to burn. Soon he too was naught but a pile of ash. "I have a lot of natural talent." Trixie finished. Celestia chuckled at that and Trixie smirked.

* * *

A/N: GASP! Trixie!

She's soooo evil! :

How many people hate her now? Angry mob: Boo, boo, rawr

How many people hated her before? Death mob: KILL! DEATH TO ALL!

Whoa geez, calm down, she'll get her just muffins!

Now: to dispel (he he spell) any confusion about the dark magic. Celestia means harness fully. We've seen Celestia use dark magic, but it was wild and uncontrolled. Trixie can bend it to her will; make it her tool. That is what she meant. This is my interpretation of Trixie. I feel like, if she couldn't get legal spells down, she'd start looking into less then legal ones and when she did, who knows? Maybe she has an affinity for dark magic?

Speaking of muffins, post a review; tell me what you thought of this chapter. Tell me your favourite muffin type.

Unfortunately, due to a European vacation (which is going to be AMAZING! XD) I will be away for the next four weeks. Which means I'll be missing four mlp episodes (*cries*) and won't be updating for the next four weeks. I'm ssssooooooo sorry about that… but it can't be helped. Try not to bite your fingernails off from the cliffhanger and know that I love you all ;)

PEACE!

-TheTransfiguredCanary


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Tears or Equestria's End

The Doctor shuddered slightly and held his shoulders.

"Hey, What's up Doc?" Vinyl asked from the counter. He chuckled a bit.

"Nothing bugs bunny."

"Say what now? What's that even mean?" Vinyl asked with her glasses down and her eyebrows up.

"Some time lord humor for you." the Doctor responded with a slight toast as Ditzy passed him a glass of milk.

"Oh, I get it, inside joke I wouldn't get unless I traveled through time and space, good to know." Vinyl said with a sarcastic chuckle before sliding her glasses back into place. "Anyways, why'd ya shudder? Somepony walk on your grave?"

"I should hope not…" the Doctor whispered quietly. Doohickey gulped at those words. "I don't quite know… probably something minimal, supernovae in another galaxy or the like."

"You can tell that?" Ditzy asked

"I don't know actually, it's a mystery!" The Doctor said excitedly. Doohickey shook her head as the Doctor became childish once more. Suddenly she shuddered too. It was as if something in the universe was about to be written. She stared wide-eyed at the ceiling above as a loud thump was heard followed by a shout.

"What in the blazes…" the Doctor questioned only to be interrupted.

"Pinkie! Will you stop that, you're humming like a lawn mower." Rainbow said flying down in front of the pink pony. Twilight walked in with an umbrella hat.

"Apparently Pinkie's tail started twitching sometime in the morning, it hasn't stopped yet, whatever in falling their a lot of it, perhaps it's a meteor shower?" Twilight explained before she turned to Luna with a questioning look.

"We have not been manipulating the stars for a meteor shower, whatever is falling we are not the cause." Luna said bowing her head.

"Wait, so a twitching tail means something gonna fall from the sky?" Doohickey asked.

"Yes. Usually it's something small, like a anvil or a piano, but I have a feeling something big is about to fall." Twilight said, leaving that up to interpretation. The ponies all worriedly looked at each other. Doohickey had a horrifying thought.

"Could it be metaphorical?" she asked quietly. Twilight blinked.

"I'm not sure… why?"

"What's the date today?" Doohickey asked worriedly ignoring Twilight's question.

"The 9th of April, two years since the fall of Equestria." The Doctor said looking at the filly suspiciously "why?" Doohickey's eyes widened as her mother's words came back.

_'I still remember the day the war ended… it was early April… and raining. There was a horrible shake across all of Equestria and Celestia came before us, declaring herself queen… when ponies tried to fight her she levitated Luna's corpse up before them all… they lost all fight after that…'_

She gulped heavily. Then she shook her head. There was no way. She had already changed everything. Twilight and the elements were united; Luna was fighting with them. Besides, it probably wasn't even raining. She looked back at the group. They were all looking at her in confusion; all except the Doctor who was glaring at her angrily. She looked sadly at him and hoped what she was about to say would change his face; it was disconcerting seeing her father look at her so harshly.

"Perhaps it mean my spirits, today is the anniversary of my parents death." Doohickey said quietly. The Doctor looked shocked at that. Ditzy blinked a bit as her eyes filled with tears. Suddenly three small pairs of arms hugged Doohickey. The cutie mark crusaders were holding her tight. They were all crying silent tears. Doohickey own eyes began to water. And as she looked at her mother smile with tears in her eyes she was hit with a startling realization. Although the Doctor and Ditzy Doo looked and sometimes acted like her mama and papa they weren't the same ponies. Her eyes flooded with tears as she began to cry in earnest.

"Mama…" she whispered after a while. The ponies around all let a few tears escape then. Ditzy was crying freely holding her face in her hooves. The Doctor swiped his own eyes and hugged Doohickey tight along with the Cutie mark crusaders. Twinkle was crying too and placed the plate of piled high pancakes on the table before she ran from the room sobbing loudly. Rarity followed shortly. After about six minutes of crying Doohickey finally sniffed and wiped her eyes. All of the core ponies followed. Pinkie's hair slowly inflated again. Rarity took a deep breath.

"I feel… refreshed." She said quietly taking a few pancakes from the now cold stack.

"I think we all do…" Twilight said wiping her eyes again.

"Sometimes you have to get sad before you get happy!" Pinkie said. She buzzed a bit more as her tail twitched again. "Hmmm, nope. It wasn't your spirits Doohickey, must be something else." Pinkie said before she took six pancakes off the stack and ate them in one gulp. Doohickey gave the pink mare a watery smile and decided that whatever her twitching tail meant she'd take it in stride and keep moving forward.

"Goodness… I can't remember the last time I had a good cry… must have been centuries." The Doctor said wiping his eyes with a sad smile

"Centuries!?" Doohickey asked in shock "how old are you?!"

"What are you talking about?" the Doctor asked avoiding the Pegasus filly's eyes. Doohickey glared at him.

"Keep using that excuse Doctor, someday your going to answer the questions." Doohickey said turning back to the pancake stack. She took two and began eating. Luna sat down across from her, causing her to shrink a bit and gleefully smile with a deep blush.

"Oh my… she really likes you your highness." Fluttershy said with a slight chuckle. Luna looked at the filly. Doohickey squeaked and hid under the table. The elder princess smiled and continued sipping her tea.

"Indeed." She finished. She took a pancake and bit into it before her eyes widened. Twinkle Toes came back into the kitchen with running make up. "You there! Ditzy Doo's mother. These breakfast pastries are exquisite! We thank you!" Twinkle looked at the princess with a shocked expression.

"Why… thank you, my liege." Twinkle said bowing. Luna looked a bit self-conscious at that.

"You need not bow to us peasant… I mean, subject, I… we mean… um." Luna said getting flustered and covering her face with her hoof. The Doctor smiled.

"Luna, sit down and have some more pancakes! We've got to leave soon so you better have them while you can, unless Ditzy knows how to make them." The Doctor said turning to his companion. Ditzy blushed and shook her head.

"Sorry, all I can bake is muffins… I tried to make my mom a cake for her birthday once and it turned into a giant muffin…" Ditzy said blushing further at the memory.

"It was the biggest muffin I'd ever seen." Morning said walking in the front door.

"Back from the morning shift then?" Twinkle asked placing a peck on Morning's cheek.

"Yep." He said stretching, grunting as his bones popped and cracked. He looked at his wife and frowned "your eye shadows all runny… and Rarity's eyeliner… what happened?" he asked in confusion. Twinkle sighed as Rarity squeaked and dashed from the table presumably to the bathroom to touch up her make up.

"Morning darling, I love you, but you are tactless." Twinkle said putting a cup of coffee in front of her husband. Morning blushed and sipped his coffee. The Doctor smiled then he looked to the clock in the kitchen.

"All right, we'd better get going. Everything was all set up yesterday and I want to leave while there's still a bit of light, we need to formulate a plan or rather, we need to enact the plan that Doohickey has likely already thought up." He said looking at the filly. Doohickey perked up at that.

"Actually… I was hoping that Twilight and princess Luna would help me with the plan…" everypony's' mouth dropped open.

"You don't have a plan already?" Octavia asked in shock. Doohickey shook her head.

"Wow… I mean, you've got more forethought then the doc… and you're almost as smart as sparkles over here, guess we're all surprised." Vinyl said after a few seconds. Doohickey blushed at Vinyl's words

"I'm not that smart…" Doohickey said quietly. Luna smiled.

"On the contrary young one, we have seen that you are indeed quite intelligent, so much so that we are honoured you considered allowing us to help with your plan." Luna said. Doohickey squeaked and blushed bright red. She them smiled widely and began skipping around the house. She ran into the wall when she didn't guess the distance properly and sat still as Twinkle, Bon Bon, and Ditzy helped her with the subsequent bloody nose. The Doctor and Morning had tried to help, succeeding in tripping over each other and themselves, tripping in a roll of bandages and a flurry of cotton balls. Ditzy and Twinkle had both reprimanded them once the little filly had received a tissue to stop the nosebleed. Rainbow Dash had been laughing all through this. Luna stared at the group, all of them laughing at the interactions.

"Is this how you all usually act?" Luna asked Twilight. Twilight chuckled.

"Yes your highness… this is normal." Twilight said. Luna looked a bit shocked as she looked over. Rainbow was still laughing. Octavia was looking at the Doctor exasperated with a hoof on his shoulder as he pouted and Ditzy gave him the silent treatment. Twinkle was doing the same with Morning Dew. Doohickey was laughing as well. Before she gave Ditzy and the Doctor a big hug. Luna's eye widened as she saw this and something clicked into place. She walked up to the filly intending to solve this mystery.

"Little one… you seem…" Doohickey interrupted her

"We'll talk later." She whispered. Luna nodded. The Doctor finally stopped pouting and put a serious face on.

"Right then, let's go, no more dallying. We've got a world to save." he said. Everypony nodded. As they left the house where they had stayed for the last day and a half, preparing for their trip, organizing the troops, Twinkle pulled Ditzy aside.

"Darling, you know your father and I will always support you in what you do, but…"

"Can you please stay Ditzy?" Sparkler asked sitting before her sister. Ditzy blinked and smiled sadly shaking her head.

"Mom, I am the Doctor's companion. I was his companion long before the war started, and I will be long after… he… he needs me." She said. Twinkle Toes looked sad.

"Are you sure it's not you who needs him?" Ditzy blushed a it at that "I understand dear… it's just… I don't want to see you hurt." Twinkle said wrapping her daughter in a hug. Ditzy wrapped a hoof around her mother.

"He'll never let me get hurt." She said. Twinkle smiled and wiped her eye.

"You've really found quite the stallion darling, I'm happy for you." Twinkle said placing a hoof on Ditzy's cheek. Ditzy turned crimson.

"Mom! We don't have that kind of relationship!" Twinkle scoffed.

"Darling! I'm not blind! You're absolutely smitten with him!" Ditzy blushed more. Twinkle smiled and hugged Ditzy again.

"Good luck darling. In both endeavors." Twinkle said smiling. Sparkler gave Ditzy a hug too. "Now go stop your father from traumatizing the Doctor." Ditzy sighed.

"Too late." She galloped away the sound of her mother's laughter carrying her away.

Meanwhile the Doctor was collecting the last few things left behind in the dew family house. It was then that Morning Dew came up to him.

"Doctor." He said with a nod settling down into the armchair. The Doctor looked at him.

"Constable." He said quietly. Morning grunted gruffly. The Doctor picked up a few more things, putting pillows back and folding up blankets.

"What's your last name?" Morning asked. The Doctor paused.

"Whooves… why?" he asked.

"Doctor… what are your intentions with my daughter?"

"Intentions? She's my companion, my travel companion." The Doctor said with a smile. He picked up the pile of blankets and put them on the arm of the sofa.

"Your dense as morning fog." Morning Dew said with a slack mouth. The Doctor looked at him confused.

"Uh, why exactly?" Morning put a hoof to his face and pulled it down.

"You seriously don't know? geez, Ditzy said you were intelligent."

"Well I suppose I could be considered intelligent, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"My Gods, Don't you see how she feels about you?" Morning shouted walking up to the Doctor and stomping his hoof down. The Doctor was absolutely flabbergasted. Ditzy, who had been hiding behind the corner for the past minute, was furious with her father. "Every time you don't realize it it cuts her up!" the Doctor stuttered a bit. "One day Doc, she's not going to follow you around anymore, and that's the day I'll find you, and when I'm done with you it won't be pretty." Morning said stomping off. The doctor slumped to the floor and sat there for a few minutes. Ditzy watched cautiously from the corner. After a while the Doctor chuckled.

"This is Rose Tyler all over again…" he stood and straitened his tie "and here I thought it was one sided." Ditzy turned quickly and covered her blushed smiling face with her hooves. She squeaked just a bit and flew off. As soon as she was out of the house she did a few loop-de-loops squealing with glee. Rainbow flew up to her.

"Hey Ditzy? What's up with you?" Ditzy turned to the cyan pegasus.

"Rainbow? What was it like when you and pinkie got together?"

"Absolutely awesome." Rainbow said smiling with love in her eyes.

"TIMES THAT BY TWO HUNDRED!" Ditzy squealed. Rainbow raised an eyebrow.

"I'm still a bit confused… why?" Ditzy just squealed more. Rainbow just rolled her eyes and flew away. After a while the Doctor trotted out of Dew house and into the Tardis parked just outside the house. Inside Luna was staring as everything.

"Dimension calibrator… this is what you meant I take it?" Luna said looking around in awe. Doohickey was giggling like the little filly she was.

"Yep, but don't worry your highness, Doohickey here could probably make the Tardis sing to her, you've probably already have a room down the hall from her. " Doohickey blushed and the Doctor ruffled her hair. "Thought so." Ditzy flew into the Tardis.

"So, where are we going?"

"Well, first things first, Luna's farewell speech, then… um…"

"The Crystal Empire." Doohickey said. She remembered her mother telling her about the Crystal Empire, saying it was the last piece of Equestria that refused to back down. It was still a free piece of Equestria in her time. Everypony turned to her.

"Oh dear…" Twilight said cringing "do we HAVE to go there? I kinda wanted to put off our meeting again…"

"What meeting?" Doohickey asked. Twilight cringed further.

"Well… the princess of the Crystal Empire is my sister in law." Twilight said. Doohickey blinked.

"Oh… that'll be awkward." Doohickey said. Twilight nodded.

"Add to the fact that they worship Spike, yeah, maybe not such a good idea…" Twilight said. It was then that she realized what she said. Rarity stepped forward with a deep frown.

"Twilight… what does this have to do about Spike… what a minute… where is Spike?" she demanded. Everypony turned to the purple alicorn. Twilight's ear flattened and her wings drooped.

"Who's Spike?" Doohickey asked. Twilight sighed.

"Spike was a dragon that I raised from an egg, he was my assistant… Celestia… I…" Rarity put a hoof to her mouth and whimpered. Everypony else let their ears drop at the implication those words left in the air.

"Perhaps, going to the Crystal Empire is a bad idea little one…that news will not be well accepted." Rarity said after a few seconds, letting a tear slide down her cheek. Twilight took a shuddered breath and nodded. After a few seconds she couldn't hold back her tears and flew from the room in tears, deeper into the Tardis.

"Oh dear…" the Doctor said. He took a deep breath and sighed. "Your highness." Luna turned to him "we have to go." the alicorn nodded and walked out of the Tardis.

"CITIZENS OF MOONHORN CAVERN! WE REQUEST YOUR PRESENCE ONCE MORE!" the core ponies all watched the bearers of the Elements of Harmony as they mourned their lost friend. Rarity was particularly down trodden. The Doctor was readying the Tardis for departure when the whole cavern shook like a leaf on a windy day. There was an explosion followed by screaming and the sound of a stampede. The core all rushed out in fear. The houses of the cavern where crumbling as the cavern still shook. They could see Empirial soldiers attacking the civilians. Rainbow, Applejack and Rarity charged forwards, defending the citizens. Ditzy flew after them when she heard her sister scream. Luna flew up from the wreckage "NEW LUNAR REPUBLIC SOLDIERS! TO ARMS!" bat ponies began filling the cavern as Republic soldiers leapt into the fray. The Doctor shoved his sonic into his teeth and galloped into the fray alongside everypony else. He ran until he saw Doohickey and Ditzy cornered into a wall. Time seemed to slow around him as the white-coated unicorn lowered his horn at the two. He charged forward knowing he probably wouldn't arrive in time to save them both when a blue grey blur came from out of now where and threw the guard off to the side. Morning dew slid into attack position, one of his wings bent at an odd angle but not enough to stop flight.

"Get your filly outa here Ditzy!" he shouted. Ditzy didn't need telling twice. The Doctor could see the soldier readying another spell and galloped in between the guard and Morning Dew, blasting the pony with an EMP. The pony seized up and fell over. Morning Dew took a step back. The Doctor tossed his head around to see him.

"yeur welcmm." The Doctor said around the screwdriver.

"Thanks." Morning said gruffly. The Doctor nodded and galloped off in another direction. Morning galloped off in another. The Doctor found the core ponies all fighting in a crowd. Even the fillies were helping. Doohickey had made some kind of catapult and was using the nearby, destroyed, fruit stand to fire watermelons at Empirial soldiers. He galloped up to the area where Ditzy was fighting airborne soldiers.

"Dissy! We hv to keep yee elraments safh!" he shouted around the sonic

"Doctor!" she punched another pegasus in the face. He spiraled down to the ground where the rest of the core was waiting to dispatch him. "Take the screwdriver out of your mouth! I can't understand what your saying!" the Doctor spit the sonic out into his hoof.

"I said we have to keep the elements safe! We have to get out of here!"

"We're kinda busy!" Ditzy said with a frown as two more guards came up to her with crossbows in their hooves. She bucked them in the face. Suddenly there was a pink explosion. The Doctor braced himself but it when right through him. The guards all around them dropped down into a deep sleep.

"Run!" Twilight shouted. The core ponies all ran in the direction of the Tardis just as another explosion shook the cavern. A bright light like the sun burst through the ceilings center and a great Alicorn silhouette flew down from the above.

"LUNA! YOU WILL DIE THIS DAY!" cried out a terrible voice. Doohickey's eyes widened and her ears flattened.

"Celestia…" she whispered in terror as she watched her future fall into place around her, the rain from the hole in the ceiling a harbinger to the end of Equestria.

A/N: IIIII'MMMM BBBBAAAAAACCCCCCKKKKKK! Did ya miss me? The trip was awesome but I know you all missed the fic a bunch, moving on…to that cliffie!

OMG! SHITES GONNA GO DOWN!

CRUD! Every pony is going to die!

I'm such an awful terrible person, leaving that cliffhanger. The new chapter might be a bit short as it was originally going to be part of this chapter but I feel like this is the perfect place to cut it off. Be sure to review, in fact, if you do I might just spare their lives.;)

See ya next Saturday my pretties.

btw, I will not be posting during the mini hiatus. I will be focusing on my other projects, sorry luvins :{(


	16. Chapter 15

A/N: omg, i am so sorry. yesterday was Saturday... lol, not working makes it hard to keep track. i'm volunteering for a theater festiville and everything is really complicated. anyways, for your patience i'll upload this now... sadly, i am still thinking about holding off the next chapter... i might upload it tonight but i don't know... and i might not upload it next week... anyways, enough about that; enjoy

* * *

Chapter 15

Falling Stars or The Republic Falls

The chaos in Moonhorn cavern practically tripled as the sun queen descended onto the citizens of the New Lunar Republic. A single blast from the white alicorn's horn and whole buildings were consumed in flames. Bat ponies tried to swarm her only to be blasted aside as easily as a fallen eyelash. Luna could not stand the sight and tried to fly and face her sister mare on mare. A sharp painful tugging on her tail held her back.

"Don't Go!" Doohickey shouted. The night princess stared at the filly in fury

"My people are dieing! What sort of ruler would I be if I sat here and watched! Hiding is one thing but this! This I cannot sit by and…" Doohickey had the audacity to interrupt her.

"IF YOU GO UP THERE YOU'LL DIE!" Doohickey shrieked.

"I don't care if I might die! My people are…"

"I didn't say you might!" Doohickey said, stomping her hoof, shocking everyone. The Doctor stared in shock, terrible recognition on his face. "I said you will!" she said loudly right in the princess's face. "And when you die, all of Equestria will be Celestia's to rule." Luna stared at the filly in shock. "Tell your people to flee, but don't' fight her yet… your not strong enough." Luna closed her eyes as the screams of her people echoed in the cavern. Soon she raised her head, eyes aglow. The cavern filled with dark thunderclouds and her voice reverberated off of the walls

"MY PEOPLE! FLEE! FLEE FOR YOUR LIVES! ABANDON MOONHORN CAVERN! FIND SHELTER! I WILL FIND YOU SOMEDAY! BUT NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO STAND AND FIGHT! ABANDON YOUR POSTS! MOONHORN IS LOST!" the screaming returned as Luna eyes ceased their glow. The thunderclouds remained though, forcing the Empirial guard to fly low, making them easy target for the bat ponies and unicorns of the republic army. Luna turned to the ponies. "We must away." Unfortunately as they began weaving their way through the wreckage of Moonhorn cavern another tremor shook the earth as more empirial soldiers broke from below. As they ran the cavern ceiling began to give way and crystals and rocks began to fall from above. As they ran from the falling debris Vinyl was pinned by a boulder.

"Vinyl!" Octavia shrieked and skidded to halt before trying to pull her lover's leg out from under the rock.

"Go Tavi! Get out of here! I'll be fine! Just go!" vinyl said trying to push her super special somepony away tears streaming down her face.

"No! I won't leave you!" Octavia shrieked. Unicorn spells began to dash past them as the Empirial soldiers closed in on the pair.

"GO!" Vinyl shouted and she pushed Octavia as hard as she could as a large bundle of rocks and earth came crashing down where the mare had bee standing. Octavia stared at the spot in horror as the rest of the core pulled her away. The found the Tardis miraculously saved by the wall it was next to. The dew family house was still mostly intact aside from a basted upper room. The wall next to the Tardis was holding true even against the giant rock that was leaning against it. The Tardis was lodged in the tiny space between said rock and wall.

" Now that's bloody fantastic!" the Doctor said running up to the Tardis. Octavia was still numb with horror and shock when Ditzy flew in at the end of the line and slammed the doors shut.

"Get us out of here Doctor!" she shouted as the cavern cause the Tardis to shake again.

"I'm trying!" the Doctor shouted, pushing button and pulling the lever franticly "Celestia's causing too much interference! I can't get a reading on a location! Hold on!" he shouted. The Tardis gave a shuddering jerk and began shaking as badly as moon horn cavern. The warning lights began blaring as the screen turned red. "Bloody hell!" he swore angrily. He turned the outer camera on and his coat nearly turned white. Celestia was following the flying Tardis like a honing missile firing beams of yellow light at the Tardis, causing it to spin like a top. "Thank Galiphrey for indestructible coating!" the Tardis shook violently was it did a flip on the outside. The poor thing was being pulverized by three pegasus guards as well as Celestia now, not to mention that the Doctor was having a hard time dodging falling rocks. At last he failed and the Tardis shuddered as a massive piece of the ceiling struck the top light of the Tardis. The casing didn't break but part of the console exploded causing the Tardis stabilizing function to deactivate. The Tardis was flipped back and forth, the ponies inside being tossed about. The door was flung inwards as the Tardis swung to the left to avoid the chasing guards and another falling rock. Doohickey was having trouble flying and ran into the bars around the console with a sickening crunch.

"My wing!" she shouted in pain as it bent in an odd fashion. Unable to support her weight she began to spiral out of control before sliding downwards as the Doctor tried to steer the Tardis up and out of the hole Celestia had created. She slid and held on for dear life as she swung out of the doorway. "Ditzy!" she screamed. The cross-eyed pegasus turned in slow motion and watched in horror as the little filly's hooves lost their grip and the little pegasus plunged to her death in the cavern below. But it was not her that leapt out of the Tardis to save the little pony. It was Pinkie Pie. The pink mare jumped out of the Tardis and into the swirling darkness of the cavern far below just as the Tardis left it's confines from the tunnel. Ditzy flew to the door just as the pink pony cleared it. "DOOHICKEY!" she screamed in agony. The Tardis shakily flew to a nearby clearing where it crashed spectacularly. This caused the lights to flicker but they remained lit. The Doctor wiped sweat off of his forehead. The console was sparking and making periodic beeping noises.

"That was not good for you old girl, was it?" the Doctor said tiredly. He tried to push a few buttons and the console sparked and half of it went out. He groaned just as Ditzy flew right up to his face.

"We have to go back!" she shrieked holding the Doctor's shoulder shaking him, tears streaming down her face.

"What is it?! What's happened?!"

"Doohickey! She fell out of the Tardis! She's still in the cavern! We have to go back! We have to save…" Ditzy was cut off as a terrible sound like an explosion rung through the countryside. The ponies rushed out and watch in shock. Celestia was flying over Moonhorn cavern blasting the moor. As she did this the moor crumbled in on itself. After a few spells the whole countryside shook and rumbled as the entire moor sunk in to the hole left by the caved in cavern. A tear sunk down the Doctor's cheek as everypony shed their own tears.

"She's…" he mumbled in horror. Ditzy sunk down to the ground and screamed. It was a gut retching, terrible sound, filled with so much pain and anguish that the Doctor couldn't stand to hear it. He covered his ears with his hooves and grimaced as tears streaked down his face. Suddenly a new sound joined Ditzy's heartbroken sobs

"PINKIE! WHERE'S PINKIE! WHERE IS SHE!" Rainbow screamed flaying around trying to spot the hyper pink mare. Ditzy sobbed again.

"I'm so sorry Rainbow…" she sobbed. The cyan pegasus dropped out of the sky in horror.

"She jumped out of the Tardis after Doohickey… there was nothing I could do." Ditzy finished with an echoing sob. The silence that followed was deafening. Rainbow stared at the cross-eyed mare waiting for Pinkie to pop up and say 'haha fooled you! Silly filly, I'd never leave you!' but no such thing happened and the blue pegasus hug her head in horror. After a few seconds, Ditzy quieted in shock. Rainbow was whimpering. After a few more seconds the whimpering turn to sobbing and then the sobbing turned to bawling. The Doctor felt his hearts break all over again. But he didn't know who's crying hurt more. He loved Ditzy and her unhappiness made his bones chill. But Rainbow Dash never cried. EVER. She was strong and silent, she bottled her feelings up, ever the cool girl who never let anyone see her weak. Watching her cry made him realise just how much she loved Pinkie. How much the mare relied on the pink pony for support. She turned from the sight and looked up to see Octavia sobbing silently, tears spilling over into her hooves. He took a shuddered breath, held it for a few second and sighed. He turned to see Ditzy holding Lyra as she cried, and the bearers holding Rainbow close as the loss of Pinkie Pie shattered the world. He took another, stronger deep breath and swallowed.

"We have to get moving…"

"Give it a minute!" Lyra said angrily at the Doctor.

"This land will be swarming with soldiers by nightfall, we have to move." The Doctor said walking up to Ditzy.

"Where are we going?" twilight asked quietly.

"We head for the crystal empire." he said quietly. Ditzy sobbed at that and he opened his arms to embrace her.

* * *

The whirling sound echoed off the walls of the cave like inlet in the mountain the doctor had chosen. As soon as it stopped Octavia rushed out of the Tardis and onto the open cliff they were on. It was pointed like an arrow in the direction of Canterlot. If you squinted you could see the city surrounded buy its pink protective sphere. To their right not a mile away was a similar blue and pink swirled dome that covered and protected the Crystal Empire. And to their left a day's flight away though still visible was the Empirial outpost of north Canterlot.

"Is it a good idea to be so close to and imperial outpost?" Luna asked the Doctor as the two went out to begin setting up a protective enchantment.

"From my experience, the enemy never thinks to look in enemy territory. Celestia is sure to look in other places, places further away from her known outposts." The Doctor said with a drained voice. Luna looked at him sadly and lowered her horn as he scanned the area with his sonic. After a while an almost invisible sphere covered the cliff

"We will be shrouded from view and there is an enchantment to turn the guards away" Luna said quietly. The Doctor let out a harried sigh.

"Good." his said with a weary tone. He covered his eyes with his hoof and sighed before he walked back into the Tardis. There he met four of the six elements of harmony.

"What are we going to do know Doctor?" Twilight asked worriedly.

"We're sticking to the original plan." He said gravely.

"But don't you see!" Twilight said with grief etched on her every feature. "The elements don't work if their not all present!" the Doctor's face fell even as Twilight eyes flooded with tears "without Pinkie there worthless!" she said levitating her crown in front of her face staring at her reflection in the star shaped pink jewel so much like her cutie mark. "Nothing but glorified jewellery!" she sobbed throwing her crown across the room before hanging her head, sinking to the floor and sobbing into her hooves. The Doctor sighed and went over to the crown.

"What is it with you royals and throwing your crowns away?" he asked walking back over to Twilight. She has raised her face to look up from her arms to look at him, tears still swimming in her eyes. "We'll find a way to get through this, and until we do, you can't give up, no matter what… she wouldn't want…" the Doctor choke a bit and tried again only to fail once more. Applejack finally chimed in.

"Tha Doctor's right sugar cube." Applejack said, the reminder of her friend causing tears to spring up "Pinkie wouldn't want us ta give up, she'd want s to keep movin forward no matter what, and to always keep smiling." The two other girls nodded, tears in their eyes. The group all sobbed together on the floor. Holding each other for comfort. The doctor sighed and ticked one group of grievers off his checklist. He went out of the Tardis to go talk to the next griever, which also happened to be the one he dreaded most. Octavia was where she was when they first landed, sitting on the edge of the cliff stalk still. It was only by personal experience did he know from her body language that she was not contemplating the fall. He knew if anyone else had come out to talk to her they likely would think she was about to thrown herself of the cliff. It was them that he realised he was not alone. Lyra was standing a bit behind Octavia. She turned back to the Doctor and he could see tears rolling down her cheeks. He frowned a bit and walked forwards.

"Octavia." He began quietly.

"You're here to tell me there's a chance… you're here to tell that there's a chance that if the guard captured her she could still be alive." Octavia said quietly. The Doctor stared at her, shock wracking his world. He turned to Lyra and realised why she was crying. He sighed heavily.

"Octavia… that chance is very slim…" the Doctor said. The grey mare shook her head.

"It's still a chance!" she said turned to the Doctor with a hopeless smile. Her eyes were begging him to tell her it was true, to tell her that her lover was alive. The Doctor sighed again. He looked into the big purple eyes and his shoulders sunk as he relented.

"Yes… Vinyl could be alive… if she was capture by those guards she could still be alive." Octavia beamed with hope and turned back to the cliff watching Canterlot in the distance.

"We can't leave then." She said determinedly. The Doctor stared at her. "If Vinyl escapes she'll find us, if we keep moving around it will only make it harder." The Doctor felt his hearts break again. But he supposed they had never intended to leave.

"Aright..." he whispered. Octavia beamed and turned back to the cliff. She began to hum a song on the wind. It was heartbreaking but it was beautiful. Lyra followed him into the Tardis. As soon as they were behind closed doors he blew up

"OF ALL THE FOOLISH THINGS YOU HAVE DONE LYRA HEARTSTRINGS, THIS IS BY FAR THE WORST!" everypony in the console room watched the Doctor in shock. Lyra sank to the ground

"I couldn't stand it Doctor! She was dieing! It was killing her!" Lyra shouted back.

"As much as it's going to kill he when she realises it's all a sham and Vinyl is dead!" the Doctor shouted angrily "You never did think things through Lyra, but this is beyond idiotic!" he rubbed his face with his hooves angrily "bloody hell." He swore quietly.

"But what if it is true! Vinyl could be alive right now!" Lyra said standing up and defending herself.

"Your in denial Lyra! You know as well as I that Celestia doesn't take prisoners…" the Doctor said with a shaky finish. Lyra's lip quivered

"I…" she started. She was cut off when the Doctor hugged her.

"I'm sorry…" he said quietly. Lyra sobbed some before Bon Bon walked back into the console room.

"Doctor, why don't we do a switch. Ditzy needs you." the cream pony said placing a hoof on the stallions shoulder. The Doctor nodded and passed Lyra off to Bon Bon, who soothed the teal unicorn as she sobbed in her arms. He walked down the Tardis hall to Doohickey's room. From which he could hear the grey mare he loved sobbing audibly. He opened the door and was saddened by what he saw. Ditzy said lying on the filly's bed, curled into a ball clutching Doohickey's pillow for dear life. He walked up and placed a hoof on the pegasus's shoulder. Ditzy turned and clung to the Doctor sobbing uncontrollably. The Doctor sighed and climbed into the bed with her, holding her close.

"I'm sorry Ditzy… I couldn't… I should have… maybe if…" the Doctor began, stumbling on his words as his own tears flowed down his face.

"There was nothing you could do Doctor…" Ditzy sobbed holing him. "Celestia would have killed us all if you tried to save them all."

"I've saved countless other planets, whole species… but I just…" the Doctor sobbed a bit "I'm useless in Equestria! Can't even stop a megalomaniac princess! I've taken down an entire fleet of dalecks for times sake!"

"Exactly!" Ditzy said snuggling closer. "You're not useless… you just want everypony to be happy…" the Doctor sobbed at that and nuzzled Ditzy mane. Ditzy could see the Doctor needed something more then that. "Doctor, look at me." The brown stallion turned his blue eyes to her face. "I love you!" she said. He blinked and let a watery smile show on his face "I wouldn't love you if you were useless. Your amazing and quirky and fun and wonderful and mmph!" she was cut off when the Doctor kissed her. Her eyes widened in shock before they rolled into her skull and she fell limp in his arms. He withdrew and was a bit panic when she didn't respond

"Ditzy?" he poked her. her head lolled off to the side "oh no! She's broken!" she giggled at that, her eyes opening up lazily "oh thank god! Ditzy? Are you alight?"

"Wow." was all Ditzy said. The Doctor snorted at that.

"Honestly I'm not that good of a kisser, at least not according to my first two wives." Ditzy's eyes snapped open

"WHAT SO YOU MEAN FIRST TWO WIVES!?" she asked angrily. The Doctor gulped.

"Well you see I've been married twice." He said clapping his hooves together nervously.

"To who!?" she demanded furiously

"Time lord college sweet heart and the queen of England." The Doctor said matter of factly.

"So you're married?! Why did you kiss me?!" Ditzy asked angrily.

"I'm not married anymore! It's till death do us part after all! They're both dead!" the Doctor said. Then he put a hoof to his chin "Actually, I don't know if my first wife is dead or not…. Or my two kids… I know my grandauyghter's dead but she gave up her regenerations to that fellow… what was his name again? David? Or was it Daniel?" the Doctor tried to recall. Ditzy eyes snapped open and twitched. The doctor looked at her confused at that face, so he clarified. "My granddaughter. She was my daughter's youngest." Ditzy blinked.

"You have grandchildren?"

"Had, and yes, I had four, three grandsons and my granddaughter." He smiled a bit as he thought of her "she was my first ever travel companion." He realized that Ditzy was looking at him tears in her eyes.

"Do you miss them?" he blinked and he realized what she was getting at. It made him swallow and curse his own idiocy

"Yes, very often…" he looked at her an smiled a bit "your remind me of my wife sometimes" Ditzy smirked

"The first or the second?" the Doctor laughed.

"Bit of both actually."

"I'm like the queen of England?" Ditzy asked shocked "you said England was all prim and proper like Trottingham and Canterlot mixed together…"

"Yes well, you're like her more how she acted when she was alone… without all of the fifteenth century style of waxing eloquently… part of the reason why I left on the night of our honeymoon actually."

"DOCTOR!" Ditzy shouted angrily, appalled on behalf of the likely distraught queen.

"What!? It was awful! You honestly didn't expect me to stay did you?" the Doctor asked with puppy dog eyes. Ditzy blinked a bit and looked self-conscience.

"Would you leave me?" she asked. The Doctor stared at her in shock. He looked her pale grey coat, her bright yellow messy mane and her golden crossed eyes. He held her face in his hooves and wiped away the tear on her cheek.

"Never… I promise you Ditzy, I'll never leave." The Grey mare shook with a sob and he held her again and they continued to hold each other long after they had fallen asleep.

* * *

Zecora crept up to the sobbing elements of harmony late at night. She was silent as a cat and sneaky as a fox. So it made sense that the only one who noticed her come in was Rainbow, whom let nothing pass her eye.

"Zecora…" she said quietly with a broken voice. The zebra stared at them.

"There is something you must see, so I ask you to follow me." The zebra then turned and walked out of the door. The six mares looked at each other and got up to follow the mystical zebra to her room. When they got into her hut she was bustling about her shelves. She withdrew a bottle and lifted it for them all to see. It was glowing and pink.

"You, Mrs. Twilight Sparkle, have read much, you likely know what this is as such." Twilight nodded and did a loop de loop with whoop. Everypony else looked at her a bit confused.

"Um, Twilight darling, not all of us are book worms." Rarity said quietly. The alicorn blushed and landed again. Before clearing her voice.

"It's a scrying potion, for Pinkie Pie." The mares all turned to the glowing pink bottle.

"Why are you so happy about that?" Rainbow asked. Twilight gave her a watery smile.

"They only glow when the subjects alive, if the subject dies the bottle goes dull and becomes useless." The mares all stared at her wide-eyed

"Can we use it now? I reckon seeing Pinkie right as rain 'll be more calming then hearing a summer breeze through the orchard leaves." Rarity placed a hoof on Applejack's shoulder.

"It's not our decision to make." She turned to her cyan coated friend. "Rainbow? Do you want to see her?"

"Of course I want to see her! I thought she was dead!" Rainbow said with a wide smile and tears in her eyes. He flew down to Zecora and gave her a big hug. The zebra was just as shocked as the rest of the group.

"Um…thank you my dear friend, but I am glad for any hoof I lend." The zebra said patting Rainbow's back awkwardly. The rainbow haired mare turned to Twilight, who was levitating the bottle in front of her.

"So, how does it work?"

"This kind of scrying potion can only be used once. It has to be poured in a bowl of still water, after a few seconds the image will appear but it will only last for at most a minute and a half. After that Pinkie's on her own." Twilight said. Zecora had been filling her cauldron with water as they spoke and when they turned the water was still as a mirror the zebra held out her hoof for the bottle and Twilight handed it too her. The zebra gently poured the potion into the water. Suddenly a swirl of pink colour appeared on the water's surface. Then they were watching a scene that shocked them all. Pinkie pie was walking through the crumbled remains of Moonhorn cavern

"Not a way out! Neither is there! What about, no… ack twitchy tail! She galloped forwards just as the rock she was under began to fall. She was in a sort of clearing when it finally fell with a resounding rumble. The girls could see a grey lump on Pinkie's back.

"What is she carrying?" Rainbow asked. The mares were all shocked when Pinkie responded.

"It's Doohickey silly!"

"Doohickey?!" the mares all exclaimed. Pinkie laughed.

"Well I jumped out of the Tardis to save her didn't I? I wasn't about to let her die!"

"Pinkie, you can hear whet where saying?"

"If that was you Twilight, no of course I can't hear you, you're somewhere out by Appleloosa, but a floppy left ear means somepony's watching me and I figured you guys would use that scrying potion that Zecora made for each of us."

"So you don't know what we're actually saying."

"Yeah! If I said scoopilauriru! You wouldn't know what I just said?" Rainbow asked. Pinkie Pie fell into a shaking laughing mess.

"He he! Tickly right flank! Somepony just said something funny! Was that you Rainbow Dash?" Pinkie Pie asked. Her tail twitched. "Okay guys! I don't have much time so I'm gonna tell you my plan. These mountains are right by the Everfree Forest mountains and an old friend of ours lives in those mountains. He can fix up Doohickey in a jiffy. Be sure to tell the Doctor and Ditzy that she's alive and I won't let anything happen to her. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." The cavern gave a bit of a shake and Pinkie's tail began to twitch faster. "One last thing." She turned to Rainbow. "I love you." Rainbow held the edge of the cauldron and stared at her super special somepony. The cavern gave another rumble "I better go." Pinkie said before she galloped away. The potion dissolved at the mare ran leaving nothing but water. Rainbow sat down tears in her eyes.

"She's okay…" Rainbow said with glee, tears of relief rushing down her face. The ponies all hugged each other laughing and smiling. Twilight rubbed her eyes

"That pinkie sense defies all laws of magic and for once I don't even care!" she said with a laugh. Everypony else laughed. Applejack suddenly frowned.

"We need to find the Doctor, I reckon he and Ditzy are still crying their eyes out over Doohickey."

"Why would they do that?" Rainbow asked. Rarity scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Honestly Rainbow, you'd have to be blind to not see how much they adore that filly, or how much Doohickey adores them. The Doctor and Ditzy are Doohickey's born again parents. She follows the Doctor around like a puppy and is always so interested with the Tardis and helping fix it. And lets not forget about how Ditzy tucks Doohickey in every night. They love her Rainbow. Loosing your parents is heartbreaking…" Rarity took a shuddery breath "I can't imagine what it would be like to lose a child, if I lost Sweetie…" the mare shuddered. "And she's just my sister."

"I recon I know what you mean." Applejack said. Rainbow nodded.

"I'll find them."

"No way," Applejack said walking up to the pegasus "we'll find um, together."

"Right! Fan out girls! They've got to be on the Tardis somewhere. When you find them bring them to the console room and tell the Doctor to call us all there." Twilight said.

"Right!" the four mares said before then galloped down the halls in different direction. It was in fact Rainbow who found them snuggled up to one another in Doohickey's bed. She could see that Ditzy's wings were flexed which made her smirk evilly. She pretended to drift down from a cloud.

"SOOOOooooo. What are you two up to?" she asked loudly. Ditzy screamed and the Doctor leapt up

"Sick em boy!" he shouted. Then he looked around groggily. "What? K-9? Whass goin on?"

"Who's K-9? Please tell me that's not one of your children's names." Ditzy said exasperatedly.

"No he's my pet robot dog." The Doctor said tiredly "I left him with an old companion of mine." Ditzy giggled

"A robot dog?"

"Yes." The Doctor said with a nostalgic sigh "he was a good boy." Then he turned to Rainbow. "Why'd you wake us? Is something the matter?"

"No, nothings the matter, but what were you two doing?' she asked wiggling her eyebrows and looking a Ditzy's wings pointedly. The grey mare squeaked and flattened her wings quickly before blushing. The Doctor was confused.

"Urm… we were sleeping… and talking, talking then sleeping, why?" Rainbow smirked

"Nooottthhhiiiiinnnnnggggg." she said flying out of the room. Then she popped her head back in "oh yeah, I need you to come to the console room pronto."

"So something did happen?" the Doctor asked.

"Yeah, I'll tell you when we get everypony in the control room." She said before flying off. The Doctor turned to Ditzy who shrugged. The two made it to the control room. When they got there Rainbow urged him to do a roll call. When everypony, sans Octavia, was present Applejack whistled.

"Alright quiet down everypony! We have an announcement ta make… now ya probably ain't gonna believe anypony else so I'm just gonna say it." She turned to the group in full. "Pinkie Pie and Doohickey are alive." Everypony stared at the mare in shock.

"Applejack… don' lie about that!" Applebloom said angrily.

"I ain't lyin! You know I can't lie ta save ma life! Zecora made a scrying potion for Pinkie Pie and she had Doohickey with her and she Pinkie promised that she'd keep her safe." Applejack said looking the Doctor in the eye. He let out a breath of air in shock.

"She's alive…" he whispered in shock. Ditzy sobbed in relief.

"There's more" Applejack said. They all turn as Twilight stepped forward.

"Pinkie said she was taking Doohickey to see an old friend of our's living in the Everfree Mountains. Do you know any pony that lived out there? Maybe even before the war?" suddenly there was a squeak everypony turned towards the sound to see Fluttershy was holding her mouth, tears streaming down her face. "Fluttershy?"

"Oh Twilight!" she sobbed, putting her hooves down from her face. She was smiling broadly. A spark of recognition washed across Twilight's face and she beamed at Fluttershy.

"Never mind… I know exactly who Pinkie Pie is going to see, she'll be with us soon I'd think."

"Um…why's that?" the Doctor asked.

"He's one of the only people I know who's mastered teleportation magic." Twilight said matter of factly. "But even he can't pinpoint a moving target… I'm afraid we're going to have to stay here Doctor; we don't know how long it will take Pinkie to get to those mountains."

"Well… I actually already promised Octavia we would stay… so that works." The Doctor said. Ditzy was still crying and he drew her in for a hug. She sniffled and nuzzled his coat. He smiled and held her close.

"She's alive." The mare whispered. The Doctor laughed.

"I know… I know."

* * *

The Doctor was fiddling with the console wiring when he heard the metal clang of hooves. He looked up and saw Bon Bon leading a half asleep Octavia away from the door. He sighed and put his sonic in his mouth before he wiggled through the control panel door and into the console wiring. He tired to reach the far off panel but his shoulders were too wide to fit between the two steel poles in front of him and his arm was to short to reach when he reached between them. He sighed and withdrew.

"I miss Doohickey…" he said quietly.

"Don't we all." Luna said from above him. He shot upwards only to bang his head on the console over hang. He crept out from under it clutching his head.

"Ow… how'd you sneak up on me like that your highness?"

"I have mastered silent flight." Luna said quietly.

"You're not using the royal we."

"I see no point. I did that to entertain my young subjects and spark strength in my older ones… now most of my subjects are dead or hiding through out Equestria. The new Lunar Republic has fallen. Celestia truly has no opponent now."

"Not true, as long as I'm the Doctor and I'm here, Equestria has a fighting chance." Luna looked at him in disbelief. "Don't give up yet your highness… giving up dooms Equestria." The princess sighed and walked out of the doors. The Doctor followed her. He watched as her eyes glowed and she rose into the sky. As she did, he watched as three stars above Canterlot seemed to combine together until only one very bright star was left. He stared at the princess. "I didn't know you could do that…"

"The stars are my domain as well, they don't call me the princess of the night for nothing." She looked to the moon that was high in the sky.

"What is it for?" the Doctor asked. Luna turned to the star again as it twinkled brightly in the sky.

"It is a sign to my people. As long as that star shines there is hope yet for Equestria. For a star like that could not be unless I made it so." She turned to the Doctor and smiled sadly "Celestia never could manipulate the stars with the subtly and finesse I could… it was a subject of annoyance for her when we were young." The Doctor laughed.

"So it's also a chink on Celestia's shoulder!" Luna looked around.

"Well, perhaps a bit." The Doctor laughed again. It quieted after a while and the alicorn and stallion stood and watched the stars once more

"Put me down you grubby donkeys!" a mare screamed in the halls of the Canterlot dungeon.

"Gladly!" one of the stallions said before he and his twin threw the white unicorn mare into the dungeon. They threw her glasses into the dungeon as well. The purple glass shattered and the bridge snapped. She walked up to then and felt tears in her eyes.

"Why! WHY!" she screamed. Suddenly a horrid chuckle like a death knell rang through the halls. The mare eyes widened as an alicorn silhouette fell over her.

"I'd get used to this Vinyl Scratch, you're not going to be leaving this dungeon," The light blue alicorn said with an evil smirk. "For a very long time." The twins came up on either side of her smirking. "My dears… make sure she's… comfortable." She said. The two unicorn stallions smirked as they walked into the cell. It slammed behind her as the alicorn left. The blue mare sighed happily. "I love being a princess." Trixie said. As she left the dungeon Vinyl's screams rang though the halls and they lifted her mood for the rest of the day.

* * *

A/N: This chapter is a doozy! 4000 words! Wow! Anyways you didn't think I'd actually kill off Doohickey and Pinkie Pie did you? For one thing Doohickey is the FLIPPING MAIN CHARACTER. Honestly people. And Pinkie Pie… it's Pinkie Pie people, she'd have to be crushed by a building oh wait…. Well she'd have to be dropped from the sk oh wait….

Pinkie never dies!

She's my favourite pony in the mane six; I wouldn't kill her off.

As for how she survived…

**Shrug** I dunno, it's Pinkie! Anything is possible

How many people shouted 'FINALLY!' when Ditzy and the Doctor kissed?

Like, all of you right. Naw I'm kidding, you probably didn't care, but if you did let me know in the review. I've got to get ready for the next chapters. They're all going to be pretty filled with plot. I mean, this is filled with plot but a lot of it s the reactions from the 'deaths'

Wait… was that a spoiler?

OH MAN! I DIDN'T MEAN TO DO THAT!

BY THE WAY!

Whoever guesses the person Pinkie Pie is taking Doohickey to gets their OC a cameo in the last chapter. I gave a lot of hints so it wont' be that hard.

Just a bit of incentive ;)


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

A Tragic Tale of Romance, Passion, and A Murder Most Foul or Two Years Adrift-part 1

A/N: the chapter title is 'borrowed' from the Corpse Bride by Tim Burrton. Aw, the two most talented people I've ever heard of, Tim Burrton and his wife Helena Bonham-Carter famous for her work as Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter movies. Absolutely fantastic work on her part. She was also in Sweeny Todd with the usual Suspect of Johnny Depp. If you like Kill Bill by Quinton Terentino I suggest you go out and see that movie, it's fantastic.

Moving on from movies with gratuitous violence and incredibly fake bloody squirting back to pastel ponies that dance, sing songs and save the world with friendship…

Man I need a therapist.

Anyways I do so apologise for the long wait but I felt it would emphasise the amount of time that passes while the ponies sat on that cliff… also, I have spent that time writing the one shots I promised you guys, two of the five are up here right now, go and read them and tell me what you think.

Anyway, enough of my rambling, onwards!

* * *

Six months.

Six agonizing months.

Nothing from Pinkie Pie.

Not even a misplaced cupcake.

It drove the Doctor mad; But not nearly as mad as Octavia drove him with her constant sitting on the cliff. All through those six months, which included wintertime, Octavia sat on that cliff day in day out. It was as if she expected Vinyl to appear out of nowhere. Which, the Doctor realized, she probably did. Which only made him feel worse knowing that Vinyl was probably rotting away in some field around Moonhorn moor. That thought only gave him nightmares though so best not think about it. He knew that he shouldn't have let her sit there with her false hope that long; he should have nipped it in the bud the day they arrived outside the crystal empire. He could see what the months of Vinyl not showing up had done to Octavia. Her eyes were dull, her coat was too, and her mane was greasy and lank. She shook with exhaustion and hunger. Nothing they said could get the mare to eat or sleep. Even now the Doctor knew that enough was enough… they had to tell her the truth. Right now though he was working on a funny little invention of his.

"What exactly does this do again?" Rainbow asked. Twilight looked up at her with a groan.

"If you paid attention he wouldn't have to explain it ten times a day!"

"No no, it's alright, I like explaining stuff." The Doctor said as the cyan pegasus landed in front of a huge screen. "It's a radar that picks up the magical signatures of unicorns and alicorns." As he said this he pressed a button on a keyboard like apparatus attached to a weird thing-a-majig that was hooked up the screen. Once he pressed the button the screen exploded into a screen of little glowing dots.

"You see that dot there?" he said pointing to a lumpy white dot lower down on the screen. "It's actually picking up four signatures in one spot, those being Lyra, Rarity, ms. Sparkle here and the princess."

"Why don't we show up?" Twilight asked going over a list of data.

"Luna's more powerful then you guys so her signatures is masking yours. Technically we're all in one spot. So the stronger magical signature overlaps the weaker ones." The Doctor said. "As you can see, I can see the legionnaires training in Trottingham, there are a few unicorns in a mountain over here." He said pointing to another cluster of dots across the map from the 'Luna dot'.

"Likely Republic citizens." Twilight said matter of factly.

"Or very lost Empirial soldiers." The Doctor said with a chuckle.

"What's with the pink haze over Canterlot?" Rainbow asked poking at the strange blob like shape where Canterlot was supposed to be. "I mean there's a sheen over Ponyville, but I can't see anything there."

"Ah yes, well you see the shield around Canterlot causes too much magical interference for me to be able to scan it. The bubble around Ponyville is strong, but Canterlot's shield makes it like the city is submerged in jelly." The Doctor said. Twilight sighed.

"That's another one of my inventions I really wish I hadn't made. The crossbows were bad enough. Canterlot's shield is self-sustaining. It will stay up until somepony on the inside removes or destroys the keystone that holds it in place. A veritable leap in magical advancement but… not one that should have been taken." Twilight said with a shake of her head.

"Well… yes the greatest leaps in technology always happen when war in imminent or upon us, it's how money works. The government never puts money into technology unless there's a war going on." The Doctor said typing away some more. He was focused on the haze of Canterlot. After a few more keys the haze split for a second. Two bright pink dots flashed on the screen before the haze snapped back closed. "What?! That's not right…" the Doctor said trying to open the haze again.

"What is it?" Twilight asked. The Doctor fished through his pocket and put on his glasses. He split through the haze one more time and like before two bright dots shone through the pink. He stared at it with a frown turning to the princess.

"Would your keystone show up on here?"

"No, it's doesn't generate it's own magic. It draws from the wish of protection from the ponies around…why?"

"Then I'm afraid there're two alicorns in Canterlot." The Doctor said quietly.

"What?! No! No that's impossible, the only other alicorn in Equestria is Cadence and she would never side with Celestia, right Rainbow?" Twilight asked turning to the pegasus.

"I don't know Twilight… I know I'd do anything to keep my subjects safe. Maybe she thinks that Celestia is too powerful to defeat." She landed beside Twilight "that or it's a suicide mission and she gonna blow up Canterlot to save the world."

"RAINBOW!"

"What? That's how I'd wanna go." Rainbow said putting her arms behind her head and lounging mid air. Twilight rolled her eyes. The Doctor typed away some more before something caught his eye. It was two identical green dots just under the bubble of haze.

"Where would they be then?" he asked typing more.

"Possibly the dungeons under the castle, but Celestia never takes prisoners." Twilight said with a confused glare at the two unexplained dots.

"Then what are they guarding?" the Doctor asked typing some more. Suddenly he surged up, squinting. "I think… I think there's a unicorn in there."

"What?!" Twilight cried in disbelief flying up to the screen herself.

"The signal's very weak but… the magic aura is so dark" the Doctor said squinting more.

"What unicorn needs two guards? They'd have to be super dangerous, at least to the empire." Rainbow said. Twilight nodded.

"This is very strange, if it is a unicorn why has Celestia suddenly begun taking prisoners. And who's the alicorn in Canterlot with Celestia…wait…" Twilight said with widening eyes. "It's not, Rainbow… you don't think its _Chrysalis_… do you?" the purple mare asked with emphasis on the name. Rainbow blinked.

"Well… maybe… but why would she do that? It's not like she'd be so dumb to believe Celestia. Even she's smart enough to know that Celestia would double cross her if she helped." Rainbow said.

"But if she was desperate enough?" Twilight asked. Rainbow shrugged.

"Who's Chrysalis?" the Doctor asked

"The changeling queen." Twilight said gravely.

"Wait… creepy bug like ponies with Swiss cheese legs that eat love right?"

"Yes." Twilight said gravely.

"Ah. Had a bit of a run in with those once… not fun." The Doctor said gravely. Twilight shook her head. The Doctor typed a bit more and a red haze fell over the grey dot below the pink Canterlot haze.

"What'd ya just do?" Rainbow asked.

"Tracking. If that unicorn leaves the city an alarm will go off and we'll know where they are. You know what they say!" the Doctor said turning to Twilight "the enemy of your enemy is your friend!" Twilight nodded as the Doctor turned of the radar system.

"It's reversed wire up to the console room so it'll automatically relay the information to the screens. Then it's just a matter of pulling the lever to go."

"That's efficient." Twilight said walking to the console room with the doctor.

"That it is." He said with a smile. He was abruptly interrupted before he could even begin by a pink and blue swirled mane and angry cream face.

"Doctor Whooves! This has gone on far enough! I will no sit here and see her hurt any longer! Fix it! NOW!" Bon Bon shouted. The Doctor shrunk with a deep blush.

"Can't we wait… just a few more weeks?"

"NO!" she shouted. The Doctor sighed in defeat and rose to standing. He straightened his tie before walking for the door.

"Wait Doctor! You don't have to do this! It was my fault! I was the one that told her the lie, and I should be the one to tell her the truth." Lyra said galloping up to him with tears in her eyes.

"No Lyra… I should have told her the truth when we arrived… it's my responsibility." The Doctor said before we walked out of the Tardis. Octavia was sitting on the cliff singing again. As he watched the grey mare he sighed and began saying what he should have said a long time ago.

* * *

Vinyl sat up on shaky legs and walked over to the food bowl that had been slid in the slot under the door. As per usual, rotted hay and some green lump that might have been an apple once. She nudged it away and crept over to the light shinning in threw the window that was too high to reach and even then it was too small to climb through. She sighed and held herself.

"Good morning Vinyl…" a high voice said from the door. The white unicorn looked up and could see Trixie standing in the door, her tacky cape and hat creating a sinister backdrop. "How are you feeling today?"

"What do you want?" Vinyl asked glumly.

"Oh it's not what I want, it's what you want! _Two years ago_ you asked for news. Now I know it's rather late but I always deliver. I have some news about your little friends."

"Where are they?!" Vinyl asked in desperation "did they take out an outpost?"

"No I'm afraid you see… oh it's dreadful…" Trixie said with an evil smirk playing on her lips. Vinyl looked at her

"Wh…what do you mean?" she asked quietly. Trixie chuckled.

"I'm afraid… well theirs no nice way to say It." Trixie smiled evilly "the entire core is dead. Their little space ship blew up just outside of Manehattan. There were no survivors." Vinyl's eyes had widened to the size of saucers, her face contorted in agony until she threw herself at Trixie. The mare jumped back in shock as the mare tried to bodily rip Trixie apart with her hooves. Trixie's two new henchmen, also known as Flim and Flam, held the pony back with their magic until Trixie was out of the cell and the door was closed.

"Sweet dreams my dear…" Trixie called out with an evil cackle. Vinyl put her face into her hooves and sobbed. Flim and Flam watched this sceptical with turned stomachs. After a few seconds the cell began to darken.

"Lights out." Flam said darkly dimming the wall scones. Luckily they would be off duty for a week. Enough time to get some sleep.

"Night Flim, Flam." One guard pony said as they left. They exited the dungeons where it was broad daylight outside. One of the stallions jerked when Trixie landed in front of them.

"I trust you put the prisoner to sleep? Wonderful heartswarming gift don't you think?" Trixie said with a gleeful laugh. The two chuckled weakly.

"Um Trixie…" Flam began "forgive my intrusion but isn't it a bit cruel to make Vinyl believe that _three whole years_ has passed?" Trixie looked at him unimpressed.

"It's called psychological torture Flam, it's supposed to be cruel." Flam laughed weakly

"Right." He said. Flim smiled weakly and hugged his brother.

"Come now Flam, smile." He said through strained teeth. Flam gave a strained smile and the two of them walked away as quickly as they could without making it look like they were running from the demented mare, who was now discussing a new dark spell with her mentor, an equally demented pony with megalomaniac tendencies and a god complex. When they hailed a cab and rushed to their generously provided house. They triple locked and bolted the door.

"Let's just go to sleep Flim… I feel like I haven't slept in days." Flam said before levitating his close off and putting on a pair of blue striped pyjamas. Flim nodded and did the same. The each got into their separated beds. Flam doused the candle and snuggled into his bed. There was silence for a few seconds before Flam bloodshot eyes snapped open. "Flim…"

"Yes Flam…"

"When was the last time we slept?"

"heartswarming eve…"

"When was that?"

"Yesterday I think…"

"No… it was a few months ago… wasn't it?"

"Flam…"

"Yes Flim?"

"I don't know what day it is." Both of the brothers shot up and began screaming. After a while they shook each other and smacked one another across the face.

"SNAP OUT OF IT!" the shouted together.

"Flam? What do we do? I can't sleep! I need sleep!"

"This plan was your idea, you figure it out!"

"You're the one who said it was a good idea!"

"Only because you said it was!"

"Alright… you're right… why can't we sleep in the first place?"

"Do you think it's the torture?"

"No no, Vinyl has been sleeping perfectly fine."

"…No…Flim… you don't… you don't think…" the pony covered his mouth with his hoof and pretended to throw up "you don't think it's our _conscience_ do you?" Flim's eyes widened.

"We've… well… it makes sense…" Flim said quietly sitting on their threadbare couch in defeat "this is much different from lying to ponies for a quick bit."

"Indeed, you're right." Flam said sitting beside his brother. "What do we do about it?" Flim thought for a few seconds then he looked at his brother

"Well…we could always break her out and take her back to the core."

"Why? What would that do for us?"

"Nothing… we wouldn't be doing it for us… we'd be doing it for her."

"A selfless act?!" Flam asked in shock "have you gone mad?!"

"Put it off as sleep deprivation! It's the only thing I can think of…" Flim said in aggravation.

"I suppose they'd give us a place to stay…" Flam began.

"Maybe… possibly…"

"And we could sleep again!"

"Most definitely!"

"At least hypothetically…"

"Well yes, theoretically."

"And we'd be away form that creepy mare and her dark curses."

"Yes, they'd never send us back to her, even Applejack isn't that cruel!"

"So it's decided!" Flam said standing with a smile.

"We'll break out Vinyl Scratch and return her to the Peace Core!" Flim said. Then his face fell "but how exactly will we achieve that? The castle would have to be absolutely empty…"

"Maurice, the guard pony at the castle gate, is holding a huge secret party. It's completely exclusive guards only. I know that a whole lot of them are going to it, but there are still some guards on the dungeon level who can't escape. I overheard that Bruce from cell block two has been trying to make up a scheme to get us to take all of the work that night, we could use it to our advantage."

"When is this party?" Flim asked

"The night we get back from our break." Flam said. Flim nodded.

"Perfect, I don't want to have to spend another second in that god forsaken castle."

"Me neither…" Flam said with a shudder. With that in mind the two brothers returned to bed and, for the first time in three months, they slept well.

* * *

"So, you'll take our work then?" the grey earth pony guard, who wasn't very bright, asked the two brothers. Flim and Flam smiled.

"Of course!" Flam said with a sleazy smile

"Go have fun!" Flim continued with a grin.

"Don't forget to bring us back a slice of cake!" Flam said waving the guard off. The two stood stock still, waiting for the outer door to bang shut. After a few minutes it did and the brothers turned to each other.

"Its now or never my brother." Flim said gravely.

"Indeed my brother." Together the two ponies opened the cell door. Vinyl stood shakily.

"Time fore my beating I suppose?" she asked with vitriol. The two looked at each other sadly

"We are not proud of what we did to you." Flim said turning back to the mare gravely.

"It was the worst thing we every did to any pony ever." Flam continued "we don't mind tricking ponies…"

"But it's a lot different when you hurt them." Flim finished. Vinyl scoffed.

"You're bloody liars… why would I trust you?" flam levitated the keys in front of the mare.

"Because we're the one who're busting you out." Two minuets later flam had vinyl on his back while the two brothers dashed through the streets of Canterlot like foxes in a chicken coop. When they reached the city gates Flim turned to his brother.

"We're home free brother! Just a few more strides and…"

"HALT!" a boyish voice called out. The two brothers froze and turned in fear. One lone guard stood before them, his face hidden in the shadows of a building. "Who goes there?"

"It is I, Flim and my brother Flam." Flim said while sweat dripped down his brow

"Where are you taking that prisoner?" the guard asked. Flim could see a crossbow on his back meaning he was a pegasus guard.

"To another holding facility, Princess Trixie's orders." Flim said. Pegasi never guarded the dungeon or castle. The upper level of the castle was guarded by unicorns, the lower levels and dungeon by earth ponies; this guard had no idea whether or not what Flim was saying was true.

"You're lying." The pony said stepping forward. His orange coat shocked Flim. It was the princess guard, Flash Sentry "it's written all over your face."

"No I'm not!" Flim said with a glare.

"Then where's the order?" Flim and Flam looked at each other. 'We're doomed' they thought. "Just as I thought, your breaking her out, aren't you?" Flim and Flam looked at each other in fear. Flam was the first to forsake his dignity

"PLEASE! Please don't tell Trixie! I'm too beautiful to be ripped apart and turned to ash!" Flash Sentry rolled his eyes.

"I'm not going to tell Trixie, that mare gives me the creeps." Flim and Flam stared at the guard pony "I'm not even going to sound the alarm." Flash said. The two brothers looked at each other in shock.

"Why not?" Flim asked.

"Simple." Flash said shimmying off his cross bow. "I'm coming with you." the two unicorns felt their mouths drop open.

"Why!?" they both asked.

"You two are idiots." Vinyl said with a rasp. The three stallions turned to the shakily standing mare. "He's in love with Twilight you knobs."

"Oooohhhhhh." The two brothers said. With that Flam picked up Vinyl again and the now three stallions galloped out of the city.

* * *

Dozens of miles away the Doctor woke with a snap. He had fallen asleep on the chair in the console room again, something he'd been doing a lot lately. He didn't know what had woken him this time until he saw the bright flashing red light. He flipped a few buttons and realise with a jolt that it was the tracking signal he'd put on the guarded unicorn in the lower levels. It had been set off. He could see that the unicorns as well as the two unicorns guarding it were running down the road from Canterlot at top speed. He pulled the lever of the Tardis certain that the whirling would wake several sleeping ponies. He set the Tardis to follow the tracking signal and ran to the door and opened it. He could see four ponies, two running unicorns and a pony on the back of one of the unicorns and an orange pegasus guard flying beside them.

"Need a lift!" he shouted. The three stallions turned to the Tardis. The orange guard nearly faulted in his flight

"WHAT IS THAT?!" he screamed. The Doctor leaned on the door.

"Hop in and find out!" they were running on a cliff and the two unicorn did not like the idea of jumping into a moving box over a ten mile drop.

"Are you mad?!" one of the unicorns asked loudly . The Doctor laughed

"A bit!' he responded loudly. With that the unicorn carrying the other pony fell back. The first unicorn jumped in. landing in a sprawled heap. The second unicorn jumped in the third pony missing from him back. The pegasus flew in with the other pony in his arms. With that the Doctor slammed the door, galloped to the console, and pulled the lever. With a whirl and a flash of light they appeared once more on the cliff by Appleloosa. The Doctor released the lever with a laugh.

"Alright! Names if you will." He said surveying the group. Flim stepped forward.

"My name is Flim, this is my brother Flam, " he said pointing at his brother. "That is Empirial guard Flash Sentry, and we have a feeling you know this mare." he said before turning back to the Doctor. His mouth was hanging down as far as his pony jaw would allow eyes wide. After a few second he felt around the console behind him, still staring at the white unicorn mare. Finally he hit the button he wanted and the Tardis intercom crackled to life.

"I need everyone here for a role call!" he whispered raspy. There was a thundering stampede. The first two ponies to burst through the door were Rainbow Dash and Applejack.

"Alright! Put em up!" Rainbow said brandishing hooves threateningly. Applejack loaded her shotgun.

"Put yer hooves and horns where I can see em!" she said staring down the barrel menacingly. Both of them stood shocked when they saw who was among the group. Vinyl lifted her eyes to them before she weakly turned to the Doctor

"Hey, what's up Doc… you know… I was told you were all dead" she weakly put a hoof to her face "aw man, don't even know why I'd even think she'd be telling the truth." She sighed and slumped to the ground when her legs could hold her no more. It was Rarity that finally spoke

"How do we know you're really Vinyl and not some Empirial trick." She asked haughtily. Vinyl stared at her, then she laughed. Then she began singing a tune.

"Human being's fascinate me, bein' just the way they are; tell me little pony can ya push a cart or drive a car…"

"Vinyl!" Octavia screeched pushing her way past everypony. She dove for the unicorn mare and hugged her. She sobbed as she clutched the mare for dear life. Vinyl took a shuddery breath and nuzzled Octavia's mane.

"Tavi…" she whispered, swiping a few tears away. Octavia just sobbed into vinyl's mane. The mare weakly ran her hoof along Tavi's back.

"It's great ta see ya again Vinyl!" Rainbow said.

"Nice ta see you too Dash. Nice ta see all of ya… now if you excuse me…I kinda want ta sleep on a nice warm bed with my nice warm super special somepony." Vinyl said shakily standing. Tavi nuzzled Vinyl's neck and whinnied. The Doctor laughed at that before turning to the three new ponies. Applejack did too. She walked right up to the Flim and Flam brothers.

"Ya promise ta be nice?" the two nodded. "Won't cause any trouble?" nod "As calm as two kitten with a bowl of milk?" nod "Ya promise?" nod "Pinkie promise?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. The two turned to each other and gulped. They looked back at the mare and tried to smile their way out of it. But the stubborn mare wasn't having it. At last they relented

"Cross our hearts and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in our eyes." Applejack nodded and the two were welcomed into the core. The first request was a room with two beds. They were led away by a very accommodating Bon Bon. At last they all turned to the last stallion. Twilight gasped and stepped forward. The ponies all stepped back.

"Aw, so why is he important?" the Doctor asked Ditzy.

"You remember when Vinyl was telling you about all the couples?"

"Yes, she called me dense… which I sort of was… I'm only saying that once so." He stopped when Ditzy kissed him on the cheek. He smiled before he shook his head and returned to the topic at hand "what about it?"

"That's Flash Sentry." Ditzy said. The Doctor turned back just in time to see Flash Sentry lean forward and kiss Twilight. She was wide eyed with shock. After a few seconds she held his head and kissed back. Flash's eyes snapped open at that before Twilight released him.

"Wow…" Flash said with a slurred voice. Twilight giggled with a blush. Rarity squealed and the other elements called out with wolf whistles and cheers.

"Yah." Fluttershy said quietly from beside the Doctor. The girls all ran up and hugged the couple. Flash and Twilight laughed from the center of the crowd. The Doctor and Ditzy smiled.

"All that's missing is Pinkie Pie and Doohickey." he said with whisper. Ditzy sighed sadly.

"Yeah…" Ditzy responded sadly. Suddenly there was a missive explosion. The whole Tardis shook and filled with smoke. Purple smoke. With confetti. And cupcakes. The lights were down so that once again the only light was the glow of unicorn horns and the Sonic Screwdriver.

"Doctor? What happened?" Luna asked flying into the console room.

"Man I just got back too, stuff just had to start happenin'" Vinyl said with a laugh.

"Sound off!" the Doctor shouted.

"Here!" Rarity shouted.

"I'm here!" Ditzy said from beside him.

"Right here!" Rainbow said. Twilight stepped forward he horn giving of a pink light.

"What caused that explosion?"

"I don't know, Zecora? Bon bon? Lyra?"

"We're right here Mr. Doctor sir! Zecora's with us" Applebloom said with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo at her side, Sweetie providing a flickering green light.

"I'm here! So's Bon Bon! Octi and Vinyl are right next to me!" Lyra said. Luna stepped forward providing the doctor with light to work on the console.

" 'M right here, Fluttershy's right next ta me." Applejack said.

"Alright… same as before, what was that then?" he asked shaking head, scratching it with his hoof.

"No silly! You forgot me! I'm okie doki loki!" said a familiar hyper voice. The Doctor hit a button, his mouth dropped open in shock for the second time that day. The lights turned on and there, in the epicentre on the explosion, was a familiar pink pony wearing a party hat, covered in confetti.

"PINKIE! Rainbow Dash screamed slamming into the pink pony. Pinkie smiled and hugged Rainbow back.

"I missed you," she said quietly. She gave Rainbow a peck on the cheek. Rainbow brushed away a few stray tears. Pinkie turned to the Doctor and frowned.

"Huh? Doohickey? Why aren't…" she turned and saw that there was no filly behind her. She looked around the whole room with a big frown. "What! Where is she! Where is she hide," she gasped loudly, jumping into the air. "NO! HE WOULDN'T!" she looked around a bit more growing more and more frustrated.

"Pinkie Pie! What is going on?" Twilight asked the bouncy mare, who was anything but bouncy at the moment. Her hair was flat and her eyes darkened with anger.

"He broke a pinkie Promise! YOU DON'T BREAK A PINKIE PROMISE!" she screamed with fire a light in her eyes and steam coming from her nose. The Doctor stared at her in wide-eyed fear.

"Who broke a Pinkie promise!" Twilight asked in equal anger. The name that Pinkie shrieked doused the Doctor's life in cold water.

**_"DISCORD!"_**

* * *

A/N: Aw man! That right there is my favourite part! How many of you can visualise Pinkemena Death Rage. I can… vividly… it gives me nightmares…

Anyway, how many of you, who didn't post a review cause you didn't want a cameo in this story for some reason, guessed that Pinkie was referring to Discord when she was trapped in Moonhorn Cavern? I gave lots of hints.

1\. Twilight called him a master of teleportation magic. Cause Discord can make himself appear and disappear at will, which is teleportation

2\. Twilight didn't say pony, she said PERSON! Discord is not a pony, he's a draconaques, which classifies him a magical creature… but he's still a person.

3\. Pinkie specified that he was an old friend, which he is, pre-war kinda friend.

4\. He had a connection with Fluttersh…. Oh snap… that's a spoiler… damn it.

5\. Twilight calls him a friend in an earlier chapter (which isn't in cannon I know but this is fan fiction, there has to be SOME deviation from cannon); it makes sense that she would be pleased to hear he's alive.

6\. He's mentioned quite a bit, every few chapters. I was trying to cause a reaction actually. I wanted you guys to think about him. It was foreshadowing. You'd forget about him for a few chapters and then his name would pop up and you'd think: "huh… where's Discord?"

All of that is leading up to the next chapter where he finally gets his appearance. Some people I know who read this have been complaining about fourth wall jokes or lack thereof from Pinkie Pie, so if you're just as annoyed by this don't worry, Discord IS the forth wall. Now if you excuse me, I'm going to go watch every Discord and Q episode form MLP: FiM and Star Trek respectively. See you next Saturday XD.


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

It's Raining…Chocolate Milk? or Two Years Adrift-part 2

"No." the Doctor said angrily.

"Yes." Fluttershy said quietly.

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

"Yes."

"NO!" the Doctor shouted. Fluttershy took a huge breath. The Doctor was shocked, she would actually yell at him would she.

"Yes." She said in equal volume. The Doctor threw his head down on the console in anger.

"He's an untrustworthy git and I hate his guts!" The Doctor said angrily.

"Doctor!" Ditzy said flying up to him angrily. The Doctor gulped and smiled at her weakly.

"What? You know how I feel about him!" he said raising his head and pointing his hoof at the grey mare angrily. Ditzy put her hooves on her hips.

"Yes, he has given you a reason to hate him, and he does pick on you a lot, but that's no excuse to be mean back! It's true he picks on you, but you should be the better pony and be kind." Ditzy said with her nose in the air. The Doctor groaned unhappily and put his head back down.

"Indeed, you should listen to you assistant more often Doctor, ever the voice of reason." A voice rang out over the intercom followed by a dark chuckle.

"Speak of the devil and he shall appear…" The Doctor said angrily. Another chuckle rang around.

"Indeed, I was just talking to my… house guest, about you, and low, there you are."

"Discord! Cease this Façade at once! WE command it!" Luna shouted angrily. The Tardis screens flickered to life. Discord was grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"Lulu! It's wonderful to see you again. You wouldn't believe how much this little filly is obsessed with you. Really quite boring how much she went on." The draconaques said rolling his eyes.

"What have you done to her Discord?" the Doctor asked angrily. The creature turned to the Doctor and placed his lion paw over his heart.

"You wound me Doctor. You truly think I would hurt such a precious little filly? Oh woe is me… and here I thought we were friends." He said with a viscous hiss. The Doctor growled angrily with a sneer. Discord laughed and snapped his fingers. Doohickey appeared tied up hanging from a fraying rope above a tank of alligators. They were snapping at the little filly who was squirming trying to get out of the ropes. "If you want her so badly…" the creature turned to the Doctor with an evil smirk "come back to the place where you first met her and we'll negotiate." With that the draconaques snapped his fingers and the screen went black. "You have one hour Doctor, or your little filly is alligator food." Discord said with an air of finality before the intercom went dead. The Doctor snarled and began flipping switches.

"Where did we first met Doohickey, Ditzy?" he asked

"In Canterlot, but we can't go there!" Ditzy said holding the doctor's shoulder.

"Neither can Discord Silly." Pinkie said walking up two the pair with angry eyes. Everypony turned to the pink mare in confusion. "Because Celestia used the Elements of Harmony to boost her power, she can turn Discord to stone at will. It was part of the reason it took so long for him to send us back. It took me a month to get to Discord's cave, then another month before Doohickey was well enough to move about. But then the Empirial soldiers caught up to him and we spent the last four months going all over Equestria like a pinball."

"That explains where he's been all these years." Twilight said gravely. Pinkie nodded seriously

"He pinkie promised he wouldn't do anything tricky with Doohickey or me… you never break a pinkie promise. EVER!" Pinkie screamed angrily. Applejack laughed.

"I reckon he'll only need ta learn that lesson once, I know I did."

"So if not Canterlot where is he?" Ditzy asked

"The first place you met Doohickey of course, he said it straight out silly." Pinkie said.

"But we met Doohickey in Canterlot!" the Doctor shouted with annoyance. Pinkie smiled knowingly.

"Are you sure about that?" she asked gravely.

"Yes."

"But is it the first place the Tardis met Doohickey? Or Applejack? Or Fluttershy? What about every pony else?" Pinkie Pie asked rapid fire. The Doctor blinked clapped his hooves turning about quickly.

"I don't know what we do without you Pinkie Pie."

"You don't silly, you've been sitting around on a cliff for six months!" she said with a laugh. Every pony joined in as the Tardis whirled away.

* * *

Discord was drinking a milk of chocolate glass with sunglasses and a tanning board. Half watching as the alligators tried to eat the little dangling filly again. She was spinning slowly glaring at him every time she turned in his direction. He looked at her with disinterest.

"Mhm… hmfmm" she tried to say around the cloth over her mouth and nose. Discord chuckled and another fibre of the robe snapped. The filly turned one of her eyes towards it. "Mhm…" she looked at him worriedly. He was glancing about worriedly too. He pulled on his beard nervously.

"Now what genius?" he asked angrily. The Filly shrugged a bit. "Well it was your idea to use blackmail!" Doohickey looked down slightly. "Are you telling me you don't actually know if they care about you that mu…" He was cut of by a whirling sound as the blue telephone box appeared with a bright flash of light. "Ah, perfect." He said quickly standing up. Doohickey smiled widely behind the cloth. The door was thrown open and the Doctor stomped out.

"Release her at once!" he shouted angrily at the mismatched creature. Discord laughed.

"I don't like you tone Doctor." He sneered snapping his fingers. The rope fibres snapped until only two were left. He misjudged how quickly they would break though as another fibre snapped instantly. He didn't let his nervousness show though. As the final fibre was about to break a voice made Discord and his magic freeze in fear.

"HOW DARE YOU!" The creature stared at the dark temptress in front of him "HOW DARE YOU THREATEN A LITTLE FILLY! I CARED FOR YOU! I LOVED YOU! AND NOW YOUR TORTURING LITTLE FILLIES? SHAME ON YOU!" her usually perfect mane was tussled in her rabid red-eyed anger. Discord felt his mouth trying to form words. "WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF?"

"I…" he began with a choking noise.

"NO! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT! HOW COULD YOU? WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS?" the mare was in tears now, holding her hooves to her face. She shook her head and flew away. Discord simply stared; slack jawed, at the retreating pegasus.

"Wait!" the Doctor began suddenly turning to Vinyl "her mystery man was DISCORD!?" the mar nodded with a sigh "WHY?! Honestly, of all the stallions in Equestria, not even stallions obviously, why him?" Discord turned to the brown earth pony angrily and snapped his fingers. The Doctor began to scream bloody murder.

"GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF GET IT OFF GET IT OFF! IT'S BURNING MY SKIN! I'M DIEING! DITZY!" he screamed running back and forth trying to get the full body pear suit he was wearing off.

"Now that's enough Discord." Applejack said firmly. The draconaques huffed and snapped his fingers. The Doctor flopped down onto the ground the pear suit mercifully removed.

"Mother… is that you?" he asked weakly.

"No, I'm not your mother." Ditzy said with an exasperated roll of her eyes.

"Ditzy, you're an angel…" he said dreamily before his eyes began to droop. "I can die in peace now, knowing you're here beside me."

"You're not gonna die." Doohickey said leaning over him. The Doctor's eyes snapped open.

"DOOHICKEY!" he exclaimed happily before he scooped her up in a big hug. "Oh I missed you so much! Don't you ever let me do something like lose you every again you hear me?" Doohickey was laughing as he swung her around happily before he lost his balance and landed on his back with a thump. Doohickey was on top of him giggling. She gave him another hug.

"I missed you too."

"I missed you more then anypony in the whole wide world!" Ditzy said swooping down and taking Doohickey into the air. The filly giggled some more, giving the grey mare a hug. The filly flapped her wings a few times before she flew before Discord and gave his neck a hug as well. The draconaques rolled his eyes and pulled her off with his tail.

"What have I been telling you about hugging?" Doohickey rolled her eyes

"Discord, you never follow your own advice, why should I follow it?" she asked. The creature huffed exasperatedly and crossed his arms

"Because I'm your elder and you should respect me?"

"That sounded like a question. The answer is you don't respect your elders, so why should I respect mine?"

"My elders are Celestia and Luna." He said with a smirk.

"Oh. Right." Doohickey said with a blush. "Well anyways, I do respect you, but that doesn't mean I have to follow your advice." She said before giving him another hug. The creature still had his arms crossed and huffed. The core ponies were watching this display with wide-open mouths.

"Since when are you two chummy?!" the Doctor asked angrily "He was just dangling you over a vat of hungry crocodiles!"

"Alligators actually, and have you never heard of blackmail Doctor?" Discord asked appearing at his side. The Doctor was confused.

"How was that blackmail? Exactly?"

"My word you're dense. I needed you to come meet me, and I knew you would never do it out of the goodness of your heart, however large it supposedly is, so I staged a little situation where you'd have to come, if only to keep your darling little Doohickey safe. She was never in any real harm. " Discord said disappearing before appearing again sitting in his fancy chair with a monocle, top hat and cup of tea. "I am reformed after all." The Doctor blinked.

"What did you want to meet with me for?" Discord grimaced and leaned over his chair to spit out a lemon.

"I seem to find my self with out any kind of lodging." He appeared at the Doctor's side once more " now I know your core generously provides accommodations for wayward ponies and I was hopping I wouldn't be too much of a stretch." He said stretching his lion paw out to the Doctor. The Doctor glared at it and turned to the creature distrustfully. Pinkie Pie popped up.

"Wait? So you broke your pinkie promise, but didn't break your pinkie promise?" she asked. Discord rolled his eyes.

"Technically, since Doohickey was never in any real harm I didn't break your silly promise at all."

"I said nothing tricky." Pinkie said slowly, glaring slightly at the draconaques.

"Doohickey was in on the trap Pinkie. She knew what she was getting into." Discord said with a huff. Pinkie's eyes widened and everypony turned to the now blushing filly

"What? I was helping out a friend." Doohickey said quietly. They turned back to the draconaques.

"Well, do we have a deal?" he asked shaking his paw insistently at the Doctor.

"Wait! You have to pinkie promise that you won't use your chaos magic on any pony on the Tardis." Twilight said evenly. She walked forward when Discord searched the crowd for her. "I know that the temptation to mess with new ponies would be great. So I must insist this demand." Discord grated his teeth.

"Fine." Discord said before he drew himself up and placed his eagle claw over his heart and lion paw in the air.

"Your tail too Discord." Twilight said warningly. Discord huffed and put his tail in the air in plain sight as well.

"I, Discord Draconaques Excellcerus do solemnly swear that I will not use my Chaotic Magic on any pony staying on the Tardis. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." He said performing the actions to make the promise legally binding, at least in the pinkie sense of the word. After he finished he clapped his claw and paw together picking up Doohickey in one arm like she was his luggage. She giggled. "Well we better get a move on, there's only five more chapters left in this story and I want a good room." The ponies all stared at each other.

"What did he mean 'there's only five chapters left in this story'? What story is he even talking about?" Twilight asked. Pinkie stuffed her hoof in the purple alicorns mouth.

"Shush Twilight! The author might hear you!" she said looked around nervously. "She always gets rid of the ones who notice." The pink pony whispered gravely.

"Notice what? Who's this author?"

"SHHHH!" Pinkie shushed loudly. Twilight just groaned and walked away with everypony else. The Doctor stayed behind, staring at the sky.

"Galiphrey give me strength for the tribulations to come." He said weakly.

"Doctor? Come on! We've got to get going!" Ditzy called form the door. She turned back and giggled. "Plus you're missing Discord and Fluttershy getting into a huge fight! She's threatening to put him in a literal dog house." The Doctor perked up at that and nearly galloped back to the Tardis.

The days that passed were hard for the Doctor. Mostly because he kept waking up to a pile of pears where Ditzy was supposed to be. Discord found great enjoyment in tormenting the Doctor, at least until Fluttershy caught him, then he did nothing but perform parlour tricks for the four fillies of the core. Some of the other core ponies were a bit stir crazy wanting to enact Doohickey's plan right away. But Twilight practically encouraged Doohickey to get distracted and play. Eventually somepony was bound to notice.

"Uh Twilight, can I talk ta ya for a sec?" Applejack asked. Twilight groaned and hung her head.

"I've been purposely distracting Doohickey so that we'll stay here."

"Oh I know." Applejack said with a nod "but, why?"

"Because I don't want to see Shining Armour." Twilight said quietly.

"Why not?! You two are best buds, ain't ya, well wait, what'd ya called it? BBFBE? Ur sumthin."

"BBBFF. Best Big Brother Friend forever" Twilight said curling up into herself "that's what I'm afraid of."

"What, that he ain't gonna be there?"

"No but that thoughts just as bad." Twilight said shaking her head. "He saw me Applejack… he saw me creating those spells, saw what they did… how could he be proud of me? How could he still see me as his sister? And how can I look him in the eye, knowing he hates me?" Twilight covered her head with her hooves "I can't do it." Applejack sighed and took off her hat, holding it over her heart.

"Now I ain't gonna stand here and tell ya that those things ain't true. I ask maself the same question everyday, how is Big Mac gonna accept me after all the things I've done? But when it comes down to it I know he will." Applejack said with a watery smile.

"How do you know?" Twilight asked. Applejack put her hat back on.

"He's ma brother, he'll always love me no matter what." Applejack said lifting the purple alicorn onto her hooves. "That's what been family's all about." Twilight wiped her eye and smiled weakly "Now I know yer scared, I would be too! But this is sumthin ya have ta do, and not just fer the war." She said placing her hoof over twilight's heart "fer yerself too." With that Applejack trotted away. Twilight took a deep breath and walked out of the library with determination.

Cadence and Shining were sitting in the throne room have a quiet whispered conversation just before court was about to being. At least, to the untrained eye it was a conversation. Those who knew them could see that it was a cutting spitting argument.

"I said no." Shining ground out

"Well I'm the royalty. I don't have to listen to you." Cadence replied in a quiet deathly sweet voice.

"You could be hurt."

"I won't be hurt, I, unlike you, have grace, class and subtlety."

"I can be subtle." Shining said with a blush. Cadence looked at him with an unimpressed face. Those four words were echoing off of the cavernous ceiling. "Oops." He whispered. Cadence opened her mouth to say something in response and was cut off be a very bright white light and a whirling noise. Suddenly a blue box appeared in the middle of the throne room.

"Ur… should we knock?" Cadence asked. Shining had his helmet back on and was approaching the box with caution.

"Stay back, it could be an imperial trap." As he approached the door opened and a grey pegasus stuck her head out. She blushed at Shining Armour and turned back into the Tardis.

"Doctor! You brought us too close! You were supposed to appear outside the castle, not in the throne room!"

"Well you weren't specific!" replied a stallion before he stepped out of the Tardis. "'Ello your highness, pleasure to finally meet you, I'm the Doctor." He said bowing to the white unicorn and pink alicorn. Cadence was the first to show hospitality.

"Well, um, welcome to the crystal empire. Um, if don't mind me asking, Doctor who?"

"Just the Doctor, though I can go by Whooves if I do so wish." He said before several other ponies walked out. Including…

"Princess Luna!?" Cadence and Shining exclaimed as the dark blue alicorn walked out.

"Mi Amora Cadenza, you have done well in protecting your people, we would do to take up your example." Luna said bowing her head to the princess. The touched horns for a few seconds before Cadence turned as an explosion sounded through the halls.

"Told you so!" Pinkie Pie said to the grumpy Discord. She put her party cannon away while Discord snapped his fingers for another glass of chocolate milk.

"Discord?! Pinkie Pie!?" Cadence exclaimed looking between the two in shock. She turned to see Rarity and Fluttershy step out of the Tardis next. "Next thing to come out of that box is the old Celestia, Shining, I'm calling it."

"Now that would be awesome!" Rainbow said flying out of the Tardis and landing before the pair. "But I don't have the colour scheme for that, plus I'm too short, and I don't think I could pull of pink, ya know. That's better suited for my mare." Rainbow said landing beside Pinkie Pie.

"I reckon yer right." Applejack said before stepping out. Shining and Cadence were one shock away from having their mouths drop open. It came when Flash Sentry stepped out in full armour and cleared his throat.

"May I present, her royal highness Princess Twilight Sparkle of Equestria." Twilight had her eyes closed face to the ground as she stepped out of the blue box. She looked up and unfurled her wings when she was through the door and Flash Sentry closed it behind her. Cadence was staring at her. Shining had a distrustful glare on. Twilight was watching them self-consciously.

"Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake, clap your hooves and do a little shake?" Twilight said quietly, with an air of uncertainty. Cadence smiled, tears welling up in her eyes. Shining had them too.

"Now that's the Twily I remember." He said before galloping over to the mare and giving her a big hug.

"More liquid pride?" she asked quietly with tears on her own cheeks.

"I'm fully admitting these tears." Shining said hugging her tighter. Cadence wiped a few of her own tears away, looking at the draconaques in shock when Discord handed her a pink handkerchief covered in blue hearts. She took it, bowing to him slightly in thanks.

"Alright, it's nice to meet all of you, and it's nice to see some of you again, welcome to the Crystal Empire, what is it we can do for you all?" Shining asked. Doohickey stepped forward.

"About that…" she began and the core ponies could practically see one of Doohickey's brilliant plans in action.

* * *

A/N: and so it begins! Veritably Doctor torture!

BBBBAHAAAHAHBWAHAHA! HAHAHA! (Villain evil laugh)

Too much?

Anyways, I watched every Discord episode there is just to get his characterization right.

How'd I do? Anything you think I did wrong? Let me know. I can't improve unless you tell me I'm doing sumthin wrong. So if you were paying attention, there are only 5 more chapters of this story, at least at the time I was writing this. When I started this story there was only going to be 15 chapters. We're at 17 now…

Haha yeah…

So there could be more chapters. Certain characters are coming back next chapter, ones I'm certain you'll be excited to see again. Plus something really sweet is going to happen too. Sugary sweet.

**_Oh no, not that again, can't we just skip to the part where everyone dies already?_**

Oh no! NO YOU DON'T! NEVER AGAIN!

**_Too late I'm afraid… urk… guh, I just coughed up a kitten reading over these notes they are damnably sugary… can't I just kill one character off?_**

NO!

_**Fine… be that way, you just don't appreciate my genius**_

No, I don't appreciate when you take over my stories and turn them into your own personal playthings! Do you know how long it took to sort out the virus you created from 'To Catch you as you Fall'?

**_…No…_**

SIX MONTHS! Clear Off or I'll get the princess and guards set on you AGAIN! Do you remember what Celestia said to you when you got caught messing with ponies last time?

**_Yes, you could practically sing little bunny fu fu with her words_**

EXACTLY! CLEAR OFF OR I'LL GET PRINCESS CELESTIA TO SEND YOU TO SADDLE ARABIA…or something…

Are you gone?

…

YES! HE'S GONE! HAHAHAHA I WON! Yeah!

**_Sorry I was distracted by something, what were you saying again?_**

UUURRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!

**_Oh dear, she seems to have walked off in a huff. Anyways, Authora will be seeing you next Saturday little slaves I mean ponies, never fret. Be sure to tell her your favourite kind of muffin or whatever it is she asks about; tell her your opinions too. Word them very cuttingly, so she cries herself to sleep and plays TSSSF late into the night, that way I can get into her computer and mess with her story folder._**

DISCORD!

**_Damn, she was still listening…_**

IGNORE HIM! See you next Saturday, now if you excuse me… **loads shotgun**

_**You wouldn't actually fire that at me would you?**_

Yeah? Try me. Isn't quoting fun dear readers?

**_Now Authora, be reasonable…_****Gulp**

CHARACTERS! AM I RIGHT? **Runs after Discord, laughing maniacally, firing randomly**


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Not Even All of Space and Time or Two Years Adrift-part 3

The Doctor liked the Crystal Empire. It was bright. A bright spot in a darkening world. It was a recipe he'd seen so very often. A world so peaceful and good dashed in seconds by greed and power. He sighed and turned back to the sparkling sky above.

"Do you not sleep Doctor?" Luna asked walking beside him.

"Every few days or so, I can function just fine without it for a few days, I'd be dead by now if I couldn't, and not here in a Equestria."

"That isn't very healthy…" Ditzy said flying on his other side.

"Ditzy!" he said in shock turning to the mare. "What are you doing up? You should be in bed."

"So should you, I can't sleep if your not there, come on." Ditzy said pulling the stallion along. The Doctor laughed and kissed Ditzy on the cheek.

"You're a delight Ditzy." The mare blushed and flew backwards, still dragging the Doctor. Luna looked at the retreating pair and felt a smile tug at her lips.

"They love each other so much." Cadence said stepping out of the shadows. Luna turned to her

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Since he came out here about twenty minutes ago… since when have you abandoned the royal tongue and voice?" Cadence asked with a wiggled eyebrow. Luna smiled and turned to the sky.

"I met a little filly named Doohickey, and she taught me more about the universe then I could ever hope to know." Luna said. Cadence smiled.

"She is quite the little filly, they are so lucky to have such a sweet child." Cadence said. Luna laughed.

"Doohickey is not their child."

"What? Of course she is, she has the Doctor's eyes and coat and her hair is just like Ditzy's not to mention her eyes. Have you ever seen another pony with those eyes? Besides, they tuck her in every night and she follows them around all the time." Luna blinked and looked at the sky.

"You misinterpreted me. She is the Doctor's child but she is not their child." Luna turned to the pink alicorn "they raise her, but she is not their daughter, she is an orphan." Cadence blinked.

"But they look so similar…" she said looking in the direction the couple had walked away in.

"Indeed they do, but she is truly not their child." Luna said staring in the same direction. Cadence looked back to the elder princess.

"Speaking of children…" she said quietly. Luna eyes widened and she turned to the pink mare flabbergasted.

* * *

The Doctor was walking, well more like galloping, beside Scootaloo as they worked together to collect supplies for the trips that Doohickey had planed.

"Scootaloo! Slow down! I can barely keep up with you!" the Doctor said as the pegasus filly zipped ahead.

"Sorry Doc, only one speed." She replied.

"Well be prepared to wait, cause I'm the one with the bits!" he shouted before he slowed to a walk, huffing and puffing. "I'm out of shape, I'd have been deleted or exterminated by now. I should use the training room in the Tardis more." After a while he leaned against a wall. He looked over to his right and saw a sight to behold. It was a quickly spinning object that was spitting out pink and blue light up into the dome, likely holding it in place. He walked a bit forward to see it closer and was stopped by a pink mare in armour.

"No closer sir, the crystal heart is very…" the mare trailed of.

"Oh so that's the crystal heart Cadence was talking about, almost like the keystone in Canterlot right? Twilight said that's where she got the ide…" the Doctor caught sight of the mares cutie mark. He looked back up at her in shock. "No…"

"Doctor?"

"Yes… are you who I think you are?" the mare took of her helmet smiling broadly. The Doctor's face split into an ear-to-ear grin "where's your mother?" he asked.

* * *

Ditzy sighed as she sprawled over the crystal library chair.

"This place is boring," she said quietly. Twilight rolled her eyes.

"It's only boring because you don't want to read anything."

"Exactly.' Ditzy said, yawning. Twilight just shook her head and turned back to her book. The Doctor walked up to the pair.

"Ditzy, come with me, there's something you have to see." He whispered.

"What is it?" she asked. Twilight put her book back and followed curiously.

"You'll see." The Doctor said before he led them through the city streets. Scootaloo skidded to a halt in front of the Doctor.

"I got them to go to the castle."

"Thank you Scootaloo." The Doctor said to the little filly before she dashed off in the direction of the castle. Ditzy watched her go.

"Okay, now I really want to know." she said quietly.

"You'll see, just be patient." He said. By the time they got to the castle Ditzy was flying of the ground in anticipation.

"Oh come one! Just tell me!" she asked again. The Doctor laughed.

"You'll see, now, close your eyes." Ditzy did so. "Now count to ten." The Doctor said before he beckoned his surprise with a hoof.

"One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten." She counted before opening her eyes. Her eyes widened from what she saw.

"Hello princess." Ditzy's eyes spilled over with tears.

"PAPA!" she shouted, flying into her father with the force of a cannon ball. Morning Dew laughed and hugged her back before holding her out in front of him

"ya didn't think a couple of buildings was gonna do me in did ya? I'm the constable of Fillydalphia! It's gonna take a lot more then fallin rocks to put me in the ground!"

"Oh papa… I love you so much." Ditzy said clutching her father like a lifeline.

"Well now, what am I, chopped liver with onions?" Twinkle Toes asked stepping out of the shadows. Ditzy's head snapped around so quick the doctor was surprised she didn't get whiplash.

"MOM!" she squealed diving for the unicorn. Twinkle hugged Ditzy too.

"Oh I missed you darling." She said running a hoof down her daughters mane before pulling back and looking her step daughter in the eye "you have really got to stop scaring us like that dear, that's twice now we've thought you dead, I'm getting grey hairs, thank heavens for mane dye." The mare said flipping her mane. Ditzy laughed and hugged her mom again. The Doctor watched with a smile. That night they all had dinner together and to the Doctor, it was almost like family. Almost.

"Would like some pear crumble?" Discord asked snapping his fingers and making a pear shaped pear crumble appear on his plate. The Doctor had to run from the table before he lost all of the wonderful dinner he'd eaten. Discord laughed all the way. The Doctor made it to the balcony and leaned over the railing, waiting for his guts to explode.

"Arghhh." He moaned after a while

"He really does enjoy picking on you." Cadence said from behind

"Yes, cruel enjoyment." The Doctor responded scathingly. Cadence turned to him.

"You know… it almost felt like I was eating with your family tonight."

"You were. " the Doctor said coming away from the balcony.

"Oh, are you and Ditzy married?"

"No, no we're not married but… well they're all my family." The Doctor said blushing. Cadence was shocked.

"Wow, with how much love you give each other I was certain you were married."

"No… I… well…I," the Doctor's face was beet red and he was stuttering.

"You don't have to justify yourself to me, Doctor." Cadence said placing a hoof on his shoulder. "I can feel your love for each other miles away."

"Yes! Well, I do love her! Very much!" the Doctor said with a blush. Cadence smiled.

"I'm glad." She responded before walking away. The Doctor stood on the balcony for a few more minuets, staring at the sky before he nodded his head and turned back into the castle with determination.

It wasn't until midday the next day that the Doctor had the courage to do what he wanted to do. First he found Morning Dew reading a storybook to Doohickey.

"…And then, with a mighty roar, the manticore charged at the white stallion, tail raised in attack."

"Sorry to interrupt what sounds like a very gripping tale but could I borrow you for just a moment, Morning? It'll only take a second." The doctor asked. Morning stood with a grunt, his joints popping. Doohickey waited until they closed the door before she rushed forwards and peeked through the keyhole. She watched the Doctor say something. Morning laughed and gave the doctor a crushing hug and a hard pat on the back. The doctor sighed and smiled broadly before he galloped off. She rushed back to where she was sitting as the door opened.

"Don't think I didn't notice your eavesdropping missy." Morning Dew said sternly causing Doohickey's ear to drop and her face to tint red with a blush.

"Ditzy? Ditzy are you in here?" the Doctor asked, sticking his head into one of the many castle rooms. He huffed when he got no answer "it's so much easier to find people on the Tardis."

"Doctor? Were you calling me?" Ditzy asked from behind him. He turned quickly and smiled.

"Ditzy! I've been looking every where for you." he said he walked up beside her and held out one arm. "I would like to escort you Miss. Hooves… to someplace very special." Ditzy eyes him.

"You haven't called me Miss. Hooves in a very long time…" she said as the Doctor led her into the crystal gardens. There the crystals grew up in all sorts of shapes and hues creating a kaleidoscope of colours. Ditzy stared in awe.

"Do you like it?" the Doctor asked. Ditzy nodded, staring at the splashes of colour all over every surface before she looked back at the Doctor. He was bathed in a bright yellow and blue light, shining like one of the crystals. Ditzy stared at him, dazed, before she shook her head and returned to the task at hand

"As you were saying?"

"Well, I know the name that goes with it upsets you…"

"Yes well… I never said you couldn't use it… I know you're saying it as a nickname, not to pick on me." Ditzy said blushing slightly. The Doctor smiled.

"I'm going to call you Ditzy for the rest of my life, until the day I die, never anything else, ever." He said shaking his head at parts for emphasis. Ditzy blinked in shock.

"But, why?"

"Because I love you, and I know it makes you happy." He said. Ditzy's heart gushed with love at the romance in the air, then the Doctor turned to her with a raised eyebrow "but you know, I really do like calling you Miss. Hooves, so I think we should changes it to that." He said.

"Change my name?" Ditzy asked. Like a bubble popping, the romance was long gone.

"Yes." The Doctor said with a smile. Ditzy turned away.

"Oh." She said glumly. The Doctor blinked at her tone and face hoofed.

"I was going for cool their but I think I failed miserably, I should have talked to your mother before I did this." He said. Ditzy turned back to him in confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

"When I said change your name, I didn't mean change your name I meant take a new name." The Doctor said. Ditzy stared at him unimpressed

"Which is the same thing as changing your name." She began to fly away.

"NO! I meant take a new name as in take a new name through marriage!" he shouted before she could go through the door. She froze mid air and dropped to the floor.

"Did you say… marriage?" she asked still looking away from him. The Doctor gulped and took a deep breath.

"Ditzy…" the mare turned to him, eyes wide "will you marry me?" he asked and held his breath. After a few seconds of silence he let his ears droop "oh… I see… yes… well I suppose you might not feel for mhm!" he was cut of by a very enthusiastic kiss from Ditzy. After a while she pulled away.

"Yes yes yes YES!" she screamed, flying around in tight spirals. The Doctor laughed out loud.

"Excellent! That's bloody fantastic!" he shouted happily.

"When?" Ditzy asked suddenly, turning to the Doctor.

"Today!" he shouted enthusiastically, going to the door. Ditzy froze again and fell to the floor.

"Today?!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, I don't feel like being patient today." The Doctor said with a broad smile. "How bout, in three hours we meet at the console room in the Tardis and Luna will marry us?"

"Today?!" she asked again. The Doctor smiled and walked up to her, giving her a lingering kiss.

"See you in three hours." He said, before he dashed off. Ditzy sat there in shock for ten minuets before she put her hooves to her face

"I'm getting married in three hours!?" She exclaimed she began rushing about the castle trying to find every pony. Rarity found her first.

"Darling, slow down, you'll ruin your mane like that!" she cried out. Ditzy turned to her.

"Rarity! You have to help me? The Doctor and I are getting married in two hours and I need you to…" Rarity tackled her.

"YOU AND THE DOCTOR ARE GETTING MARRIED IN TWO HOURS!? SINCE WHEN?!"

"Er, a hour ago?" she said. Rarity faked fainting.

"Darling! You can't get married looking like that! I'll get you cleaned up and make sure everypony is there. Where is the ceremony happening?"

"The console room on the Tardis." Ditzy aid as Rarity pushed her into a room. Rarity gasped.

"It's worse then I thought!" he pulled a string on the wall and crystal pony servant rushed in "please go find twilight sparkle and Fluttershy and tell them to meet me here right away, then find Lyra and Octavia and tell them that the Doctor and Ditzy are getting married and we need music, be sure to tell every pony in the castle! Tell Pinkie Pie that the console room on the Tardis needs to be absolutely perfect." Rarity said. The pony nodded before dashing off in a gallop. Rarity turned to the mare and clapped her hooves

"Now, what to do with your mane? Would you prefer straight or curls? And your dress. Would you like light Blue to match the Doctor's eyes or is a traditional white better? And would you prefer it extremely formal or would you like a casual element to it?"

"Urm…" Ditzy said with confusion on every pore of her face. Rarity smiled.

"Just, relax darling, everything is going to be perfect."

Two and half hours later the Doctor was standing in front of a floating mirror while Discord snapped his fingers lazily. The Doctor was trying to find the perfect tie. Right now he was appraising a simple dark blue one.

"No." snap. a red one. He turned his head side to side and shook it.

"No." snap. this new one was covered in lollipops. "Discord! At least pretend to be interested! I'm getting married after all!" the Doctor said with a huff. Fluttershy walked in before the draconaques could make a scathing retort.

"Um Discord, could I borrow you for a second, Rarity needs something blue and I have an idea, only if it's not too much trouble, of course." Fluttershy said. Discord smiled.

"Nothing is too much trouble for you my dear." He said before disappearing form the room. Fluttershy turned to the Doctor and squeaked. He was wearing a green bow tie, slightly darker then what he usually wore with a black vest and a blue rose.

"What? Is my hair bad? I tried to fix it somehow but it just kept bouncing back."

"No, you look very dashing." Fluttershy said before she left. As she walked down the hall the Doctor opened the room's door and shouted

"THANK YOU DISCORD." Fluttershy chuckled and went back into the girls' room where Ditzy and now Bon Bon, and Sparkler were getting dressed.

"Oh Fluttershy, your idea was genius! It's absolutely beautiful!" Rarity said giving the yellow pegasus a hug. Fluttershy blushed and looked at Ditzy.

"She's right… you look gorgeous." Ditzy blushed.

"Thank you." there was a knock on the door.

"Can I come in princess?" Morning called through eth door.

"Come in." Ditzy said quietly. Morning Dew stood and the doorway and whistled.

"There she is, my little girl, all dolled up for her big day." He placed a kiss on her cheek and she stepped down from the stool she was on. She giggled and smiled, tears glistening in her eye.

"Good god, Authora, your damn mushy." Discord said rolling his eyes.

"Who's Authora?" Twilight asked. Pinkie Pie shushed her again. The purple alicorn rolled her eyes.

"Well, we better get goin or ya'll miss yer big day!" Applejack said. As she said this the door to the Tardis opened and Cadence walked out.

"Luna is waiting. The fillies are all ready, is Ditzy ready to come down the isle?" The grey pegasus nodded and stepped forward. Cadence smiled. "You look beautiful." Ditzy blushed and waited as the music inside the Tardis struck up. The ponies not in the ceremony proper entered the Tardis. Bon Bon walked up beside Ditzy and smiled.

"You ready?" she asked. Ditzy nodded with a deep breath. Bon Bon smiled before she walked forward and into the Tardis. Sparkle stopped by her sisters' side.

"Good luck." She walked threw the door after Bon Bon. Doohickey followed holding a box in her hooves. She winked at Ditzy before flying through the door. The three other fillies began hoping down the isle scattering flowers. Ditzy took another deep breath and Morning Dew squeezed her arm

"Ready princess?" Ditzy nodded. And together they walked through the door as Lyra and Octavia played a slow wedding march.

The Doctor watched the wedding procession with gnawing fear. Flash sentry stomped on his hoof when he began tapping it worriedly.

"Calm down Doc, keep your cool, it's only a wedding." He whispered.

"Suppose this was your wedding to Twilight Sparkle." The Doctor hissed back. Flash's coat almost turned white "exactly." Discord was snickering at them from his seat beside Fluttershy. The Doctor turned to the door as the music changed and felt his jaw drop when Ditzy walked in on Morning's arm. He hair was straightened slightly so that it fell over he shoulder in a waterfall of sun yellow. On her head was a crown with little blue jewels that looked like bubbles holding her veil in place. Her dress was white with a golden petticoat with a flourish accent. There was tool over top of the white fabric that looked like it was made of bubbles and trailed behind her to form a short train. Around her neck was a collar not unlike a turtleneck that scrunched up elegantly. The cutest feature of the ensemble was her short sleeves and earrings. Her sleeves looked that muffin and he earrings were little muffins too. As she approached him the Doctor could see that the veil was made of little bubbles that sparkled and reflected the light of the Tardis console. Luna watched her approach beside him, smiling at his face.

"hh…hi." Ditzy said. The Doctor stared a little bit and Discord had to clear his throat before he snapped out of it.

"My dear you look…" he blinked a bit more.

"Ridiculous?" she asked self consciously

"No! You look bloody fantastic!" he said smiling.

"You look pretty good yourself." she said looking at his ensemble. The Doctor blushed.

"Thank Discord for that one."

"So I heard." She said quietly. He laughed and turned to princess Luna as she cleared her throat. She waited for the group to quiet before she began.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered her today to witness a bonding far stronger then any force on this earth. Through many challenges these ponies have remained lovers. From war, to pain, to loss, barriers of time and of space." Luna paused "but even these forces were not enough to break their love. They, together, broke through these tribulations and now here they stand before us, ready and willing to strengthen their bond even further." she turned to the Doctor "You may speak first." The Doctor smiled and took a deep breath

"My beloved Ditzy… since the very day I met you, you have been a ball of surprises. I admit, in the beginning I underestimated you. And I took you for granted. That ends here. It's no secret to the ponies that have been living with us since the star that I can barely function without you." several ponies laughed. He waited for them to quiet before he continued "and I count on not being able to function without you for the rest of my life." He finished. Rarity was wiping away tears with her handkerchief. Rainbow was watching with a sappy expression she would deny later. Ditzy's mother had tears in her eyes as well. Morning Dew nodded gruffly and smiled. Discord coughed up a kitten. Fluttershy glared at him for that, until of course he passed her the kitten. Luna quieted everypony with a look and turned to Ditzy.

"You may speak." Ditzy turned to the Doctor and smiled.

"I remember the first day we met." She said quietly. She laughed a bit "I thought you were absolutely nuts, and I didn't know whether I should indulge you or take you to heart-warming hospital." Several ponies laughed at that. "I remember thinking 'come on Ditzy, you have better things to do then follow this crazy guy around'" she looked up into the Doctor's eyes "and I remember, when you went away, how mad I was at myself for not believing you. And how sorry I was that I didn't get to see the universe…" she eyes welled up with tears "and I remember how happy I was when you came back and you took me on all of those adventures." She sighed a bit, and then glared at him "we never did get to muffin planet." The Doctor smiled weakly at that. Ditzy just took a shuddered breath and wiped her eyes "but I didn't need to know about it to know I'd enjoy it." She placed a hoof on his cheek. "Because no matter where I go… as long as I'm with you, it'll be the best place in the whole universe." Rarity and Twinkle burst into torrential tears at that line and began sobbing audibly. Discord puked up a basket of kittens, which he dutifully handed to Fluttershy. Morning wiped away a few tears. Luna waited for the room to quiet before she continued.

"Doctor Whooves of Galiphrey, do you take this mare to be your lawfully wedded wife, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, for better or for worse, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do." The Doctor said.

"And do you Ditzy Muffin Dew, take this Stallion to be your lawfully wedded Husband. , in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, for better or for worse, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do." Ditzy said. There wasn't a dry eye in the room after that, except for Discord. But then again, he was smiling so that was pretty damn close. Luna smiled and turned to the box in Doohickey's hooves. Inside the box were two rings on chains. Silver for the Doctor, gold for Ditzy. She put one around each of their necks

"Then, by the power vested in me, as the princess of the night and Equestria, I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride." She said. With that Ditzy and the Doctor shared a passionate kiss. It lasted about five seconds for everypony else, but to them it was eons.

"Wait everyone, before you go, there's one last thing to do." The Doctor said holding a hoof up. Everypony turned back to the pair. "Ditzy, your right hoof please." She held it out and he took it in his own.

"Ditzy Muffin Whooves. Do you swear to travel through all of time and space with honour, bravery and decency?"

"I do?" she asked.

"Do you promise to defend the weak, assist the righteous, and protect the innocent?"

"I do."

"Do you swear to uphold the values of your homeland?"

"I do."

"So it is done, let all of time hear you. Lord of the house of Galiphrey." The Doctor said before he tied a blue string around their hooves. After a few second of silence Ditzy looked up.

"What just happened?"

"You became a time lord." He said with a silly smile. Ditzy's hoof flew to her chest. He laughed "not that kind of time lord, I'm what they call a traveller. You're a convert. Very different thing." He said. "You're an honorary member of my species." He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "Travellers usually convert their wives if their not Galiphrian." He winked "part of the reason I left the queen of England." Ditzy giggled and kissed him again.

"That was very touching and all but can we please more on to something less mushy? My insides have gone numb from the amount of kittens I've vomited up." Discord asked appearing beside the couple. The core all laughed late in to the night at that. Vinyl played some great songs for the 'reception'. Discord's favourite was of course the one about him. The Doctor danced with Doohickey when the father daughter dance happened. She hugged him tightly through it all. When the time came to throw the bouquet it was Pinkie Pie who caught it. Rainbow's eyes had shrunk to pin pricks when that happened and everypony laughed at that. The Doctor and Ditzy disappeared early on in the night. Many ponies soon followed. Soon, only Discord, Cadence, and Luna remained awake. He rubbed his paw and claw together grinning.

"Now it gets interesting."

"What are you planning Discord?" Luna asked with a touch of anger in her voice. The draconaques laughed.

"It's not what I'm planning, rather it's what Authora is planning." Luna's eye twitched and she looked at the ground.

"What does she have to do with this?" he laughed again.

"You'll see… as it is, I'm not the one we should be worried about, Princess Lovey-dovey over here is the one scheming." Cadence blushed

"What!? I never said they had to get married! I was just as shocked as you! I didn't insinuate that they needed to get married! I had no idea my comments would cause that reaction!" the pink alicorn said, defending herself. The two elders chuckled at her long into the night.

A:N/ AWWWWWWW! OMG! SOOOOO CUTE! SKWEEEEE! For those of you who wish to know Discord was reprimanded and I have him on a tight leash. He has agreed to remain in custody in exchange for one character… I don't know whom he wants to kill off but…

Someday you will see the virus-creating nightmare that is 'To Catch you as you Fall'

It is horrifying.

Anyways, the end is nigh! See you next Saturday folks! :P

Let me now what you think of the cutest wedding in the world in the reviews. BYYYEEEEE!

-TTC


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The Plan or For Equestria!

A/N: sorry for the lateness. yesterday was Harry Potter's 35th birthday. I stayed up till sunrise watching the series then conked out for like twelve hours. it was not pretty, but a lot of fun.

enough of my blathering! ONWARDS!

* * *

"WHO do you want as an ally?" cadence asked in shock. Doohickey just rolled her eyes.

"You and I both know we're horribly out numbered, what better then an army of thousands of creatures that can turn into ponies at will?"

"Chrysalis is dangerous! She can't be trusted!" Shining armour said angrily stomping his hoof.

"But Equestria is her home too." Doohickey said. "If she values her life or the life of her children she'll help us, if not for our gain, then for her own."

"Most definitely her own, Chrysalis would never do anything for anypony." Shining armour said with a huff. Doohickey just sighed.

"Even if it is for selfish reasons, we need the reinforcements." The ponies around her looked at each other worriedly. All save Discord and the Doctor.

"She's sounds mean but even I can't help but see that Doohickey's right." The Doctor said with a shake of his head.

"No! No no no!" Discord said with a look of disgust on his face "we can't be… _agreeing_ on something!" Discord said. The Doctor made some horrified noise and shuddered. Ditzy and Fluttershy rolled their eyes.

"You two are hopeless." Ditzy said. The group around the table laughed.

* * *

The hive was made of a grey green rock like substance. The windows were filled with a green light. It was tall…Very tall, taller than moon horn tower. Almost as tall as a mountain with crevices and crags up and down it, each filled with the same green light. It was an image out of a horror film and yet Doohickey could see that there was still a bit of life here and there. There were flowers and a bit of grass and the leaves on the trees might have been grey but they were still leaves.

"What is this stuff? It's wonderfully sturdy, could be useful." the Doctor asked poking the walls.

"Changeling saliva." Discord said. The Doctor jumped back and turned to the draconaques angrily.

"Stop it you two!" Doohickey said while she tried to find the entrance.

"It's at the top of the hive." Discord said.

"What about the changelings that don't have wings?" the filly asked. Discord shrugged. She huffed and stared at the wall.

"I'll just knock here, if no one comes I'll fly up with Discord to the top of the hive." Doohickey said to the Doctor, who nodded. The little filly lifted a hoof and pounded on the wall. A few seconds later in opened like a door and a changeling stepped out.

"Can I help you?" he asked with a sultry look. Doohickey shivered a bit.

"I request an audience with queen Chrysalis." Doohickey said with a strong voice. The bug like pony made a buzzing noise and turned toward the hive.

"Very well, follow me." The trio followed the changeling through the hive. They could see that it worked a lot like a beehive. There were worker changelings that were using their saliva to fix a broken wall or a collapsed tunnel. There were warrior changelings that they could see training, mass numbers of them too.

"Er, if you don't mind me asking, how many soldiers do you have?" Doohickey asked the creature leading them.

"About four thousand." He said with a sleazy smile before he stopped. He didn't notice Doohickey's sparkling eyes. Perfect! The door in front of them opened and Doohickey was met with an amazing sight. The walls were draped in gossamer wing like drapery and the windows had interesting designs on them. It looked almost exactly like.

"Canterlot castle." The Doctor said quietly. A high cold laugh rang across the hall.

"Indeed. You see the resemblance. One benefit of Celestia's change. When she destroyed our old hive, we got to build a new one." The large changeling queen stepped forward. "This is my artistic allowance." Doohickey looked around then up at the queen. She was beautiful in a unconventional way.

"It's fitting." The filly said quietly. The tall black creature turned to the filly.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"My name is Doohickey… and I'd like to talk to you." she said looking into the changelings eyes. Chrysalis looked at her before she nodded and led them deeper into the hive.

* * *

Luna was pacing while the other waited worriedly.

"It's been almost three hours, they could have been eaten by now." Candace said worriedly. Ditzy stared at her with wide eyes.

"Could have!" Shining said quickly. The mare's eyes return to somewhat of a normal size but she was still visibly worried "subtle eh?" Shining hissed at his wife. The pink alicorn blushed a bit. Suddenly a whirling sound rang through the halls. The Doctor and Discord stepped out before Doohickey stepped out too.

"So, she didn't agree?" Candace asked. Doohickey stepped forward with a smile

"Oh no. She did." She walked around the group till she was behind them.

"Then where is…" she stopped as Doohickey walked through the door again.  
"Behind you." Chrysalis hissed. The group all yelled and jumped back as the changeling queen laughed. "Oh that was fun."

"Chrysalis, stop fooling around!" Doohickey said with a huff. The changeling sighed and nodded.

"Very well." The group all stared at the large bug like pony with worry. Chrysalis stared at them all "well, aren't we planning something? Who are your main generals? Mine will be arriving in an hour, we'd better start briefing now." The ponies all smiled and turned to the cross-eyed filly.

"Doohickey? What's your plan?" Twilight asked. Chrysalis's mouth dropped open.

"SHE'S your general?! You're kidding! You're kidding right?" she asked. Twilight laughed a bit at that.

"What?" the queen asked. "Do I have something my teeth? Is my mane messy?"

"You just sounded like Nightmare Moon for second." Twilight said between giggles. Suddenly the queen was enveloped in green flames.

"FOALS! I AM NIGHTMARE MOON!" them she turned her head to the sky and laughed evilly. Luna stared at her unimpressed. She walked up to the fake mare and surveyed her for a second.

"Your mane and tail are not moving, you're too short, the wings don't look enough like bat ponies, the fangs are too long, your helmet is Cleary attached to your skin, your shoes are also attached, the cutie mark is still white when it should instead be blue and purple, your coat is a touch too grey, the eyes are much too blue instead of turquoise, the eyelashes are too short, you don't have any eye shadow, the horn is too long, the tail looks too much like Celestia's, and you used 'I am' instead of 'We are'" Luna said. By the end of the rant every ponies', and changeling's, mouth had dropped open "but it is a commendable effort." Chrysalis sputtered.

"How dare-"

"Doohickey?" Luna said. The changeling queen steamed even further at being interrupted. "Your plan?" Doohickey shook her head and snapped out of her stupor.

"Er, right." She looked at the ponies in front of her and smiled "how many of you have been in two places at once?"

* * *

"That little kid is their general? Really?" one of the changeling generals said, "She's damn smart but really? They're relying on a kid?"

"I know." Chrysalis said with a sigh, there was a knock on the door. "Enter." Cadence walked in and instantly her subject began to salivate. Chrysalis could feel the draw too but knew that eating that much love had horrible effects. The princess lit up her horn for a second and Chrysalis surged to her hooves battle ready. But all that happened was a few hearts began to float in the air. The changelings began chasing after them like little flies to lights. Chrysalis stared at the princess. The alicorn stepped forward and made a larger heart appear. She blew it off towards the queen.

"For your strength." Cadence said before she exited the room. Chrysalis took a bite of the heart.

"Not bad, I guess." She grumbled before she began eating it with relish.

* * *

Celestia sat on her thrown quietly. In front of her Trixie was torturing her guards for insolence. Two had already lost limbs. One was about to lose a rather delicate part of his anatomy. The smell of blood permeated the hall and it made Celestia smile. She sighed and sipped her tea as the screams created her own personal symphony. But the screams were interrupted by a loud bang.

"Your highness!" the guard skidded to a halt in front of the severed limbs and gore. He covered his mouth his hoof to hold back his vomit. Her groaned and looked up at the queen.

"Your highness! There must be a thousand soldiers on the plains of Canterlot! They're all-" he was cut off by a loud voice

"CELESTIA!" the white alicorn let her tea drop.

"Luna." She said dangerously quiet. She walked out to the window and say scores of ponies, Thousands of soldiers, in battle lines waiting for the fight to begin. "So Luna, you've got yourself an army. Well two can play at this game." Celestia sneered. she turned to her student. "Trixie my dear, your hour has come. Prepare the troops for battle." She said. The alicorn nodded excitedly and began ordering the guards around, even the ones with missing limbs. The queen turned back to the window and glared. "The battle for Equestria has begun."

* * *

"Ugh… This is taking so long!" Vinyl said. Octavia glared at her. "What? I… wait… whats that?" she asked. Octavia lifted her head and her eyes widened. It sounded like hooves. Thousands and thousands of hooves march on the plains. She climbed up one of the platforms and picked up a pair of binoculars. He ears drooped. Soon every pony could see them too. Thousands of solders, More even then the changelings. They stared at the army in fear. And Octavia watched as their legs quivered and their faces filled with fear. She galloped off the platform. "Tavi what are you doing?" Vinyl asked as the grey mare rushed back and forth in front of the lines.

"STEADY SOLDIERS! HOLD YOUR GROUND! FRIENDS! COMRADES! STEADY!" the pony all turned to her. "I can see it in your eyes!" she cried, "It is a fear I have felt!" the ponies all watched her. Even the core listened to her words. "Now a day may come, when the magic of friendship fails. When love and peace hold no meaning anymore! But it is not today!" she said loudly. "An age of pain and sadness when the time of ponies comes CRASHING DOWN! BUT IT IS NOT THIS DAY!" the ponies began to cheer valiantly. "THIS DAY WE FIGHT! WE FIGHT FOR THE VALUES OF KINDNESS!" a cheers "LOYALTY!" More cheering "HONESTY!" the roaring of the crowd was deafening "GENEROSITY" some ponies could see the Imperial soldiers waver as if the speech shook their foundations "LAUGHTER!" Pinkie set of her party cannon at that which caused the very thing she represented. "And Magic!" Octavia yelled as the crowd quieted.

"But above all else! We fight for our homes! For our loved one! We fight FOR EQUESTRIA!" and with that she reared and whinnied.

"FOR EQUESTRIA!" The crowd cheered back, filled with whinnies and whooping. At last Luna flew into the sky.

"CHARGE!" she screamed and with a might war cry the army surged forward. The Imperial soldiers watched the army in shock before one of their generals screamed out orders and they began to change too. Now one noticed the switcheroo. For a single second the bearers of the elements of harmony disappeared from sight before they were back again. If one looked close the your see that Rarity's mane was not quite the usual shade of purple, Pinkie's mane wasn't a puffy as usual, Fluttershy's hair was shorter and Rainbow wasn't flying quite as fast. And so, with the battle raging below the six mares, plus the doctor, Ditzy, Doohickey, and Luna surged up the road to Canterlot, knowing that the end was near.

* * *

A/N: I'm sorry about the cliffhanger...

wait, no i'm not :p

who guessed the plan before you were even told? I know right! Doohickey's so smart. And since she's an original character that mean's I'm smart! Or sumthin? Octavia's speech is borrowed from one on my favourite speeches. It's listed on the top ten best movie speeches ever. I think it's number three? It's Aragorn's speech at the black gate. omygawd… so awesome. I had it planned for Octavia to say that speech back in chapter three. That's why I wrote the pair into the story. Then I had the whole idea with Trixie and Vinyl and yeah…cute stuff. Anyways, the story's almost finished! :'( Its been so fun. I know this chapter is short, but that was the most plausible place to cut it off. Discord has free rein for part of the next chapter… I'm not sure what will happen… ack… so agitating…

Anyways see you next Saturday for the epic battle of Equestria!


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

War's End or Celestia's Folly

A/N: this chapter is messy… really messy…. Just a warning. Not only that but its split into a whole bunch of parts with lots of follow shifts. That the point of course, its war, you can't exactly follow one person and hear the whole story. And before you ask, yes Discord is writing part of this… and yes I know what that risks… I can't help it… I'm a risk taker.

Also please note, that it is very gory in certain parts... mainly Discord's… what can I say, I can't control that guy at all…

Also, anything _like this_ in page breaks is my live reaction when I first read what Discord had written…

* * *

The two sides collided with a splash of gore and blood. Ponies pounced on one another, horns fired deadly spells, and the plain was soaked in blood in minutes. The six ponies fought together as usual. They were more of a threat then the soldiers had thought they would be. Whatever they had been doing in the two years they had disappeared it had involved a lot of physical training. They crushed ponies under their hooves like it was nothing. But sheer numbers were on the Imperials side and they pushed the ponies back.

"Twilight!" Shining Armour shrieked as he and some crystal ponies secured a shack on the plains. the girls all rushed in and held the door.

"Nice going lover boy? Know what?" Fluttershy asked with an uncharacteristic cruelty

"Hey know! Stick ta the program!" Applejack shouted at the yellow pegasus, who rolled her eyes and helped hold the door.

"Captain, the bat ponies are coming in!" Flash Sentry cried from the window. They all looked out and could see dozens of bat ponies coming down form the clouds with loud cries. Leading them was commander Moon Dancer.

"FOR THE REPUBLIC!" the bats cried as they descended on the Imperial ponies. The group let their guard down for just a second. But it was enough.

"CAPTAIN! LOOK OUT!" Flash cried as a spear lodged itself in Shining Armour's chest.

* * *

_…oh my god…DISCORD! WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT! ON NO! SHE'S GONNA BE SO SAD! DISCORD!_

* * *

"CAPTAIN!" Flash cried. The white unicorn stared at the spear sticking out of his chest.

"Twily…" he said quietly before he crumpled into a heap. The Purple alicorn screamed and slaughtered the pony holding the spear while trying to get it out. The ponies all stared at the corpse in shock.

"He's… gone… jus like that…" Applejack said with shock. Flash Sentry swallowed and turned to the crystal guards.

"You there! Pull his body off to the side! Defend it with your life! You, help us break through the line outside!"

"Yes captain!" They both said before they rushed to comply. Flash swallowed again and straightened his helmet. He walked over and placed a hoof over the mare's shoulder.

"Twilight… are you ready." Suddenly a loud bang rang across the plain. Every pony looked up and saw a great green firework light up the sky.

"Finally!" Fluttershy cried. All over the battle field green fire blazed and as they cleared the Imperial ponies began to scream. Changelings. Everywhere. The six mares them selves where engulfed in flames before the buzzed off in all directions. Flash stared at this in shock. But after a while he charged forward and began to defend the lands he loved. The battle seemed to rage forever and he watched as ponies he knew charge at him and he was forced to cut them down. Somewhere in the middle of the battle there was an explosion, massive and obliterating that threw dozens of ponies into the air indiscriminately. But he had been too far away to see who had been at the epicentre. Soon Flash grew wary. He could barely move his hooves and the Imperial soldiers just kept coming. The ponies all froze for a second when, from miles above them, lights began to brighten the darkening sky. The sun was setting slowly as two figures battle one another in the sky. After a while one figure retreated back to the castle and the other followed in pursuit. The sky was quite and still again when Suddenly a great scream filled the air. Then, the Canterlot castle was blown apart in a rainbow hued explosion, not unlike a sonic rainboom. A rainbow hued comet hurtled towards the sky from the explosions epicentre and with a second explosion in the sky the world quieted. The ponies stared at the spectacle. Slowly the sun sank from the sky. The ponies around stood stock still, waiting for a sign, a message to tell them what had happen. It came when the moon began to rise and the stars glittered above. There in the sky was a brand new constellation that looked an awful lot like.

"Celestia." Flash said in awe. The ponies stared at the collection of stars.

"That's it?" one pony cried.

"We won?" a bat pony asked. The ponies all stared at each other.

"What were we even fighting for?" Flash asked them all. It was then that a great silence fall over the fields…

The battle of Equestria was over.

* * *

After Octavia's speech Morning felt miles high. He could do anything. It was the kind of speech you only heard once in a lifetime, one that would stick with you for the rest of your life. So as he charged forward he said a prayer to Luna for his daughters's and granddaughter's safety and banished them from his head. The fight began the moment one of those dammed guard was in hoofs range. He punched them and bucked them and did everything in his power to stop them in their tracks. For hours he did this, never tiring as Octavia's speech kept him strong. But suddenly a scream he knew all too well ran through the area.

"Sparkler!" he cried before he galloped over to where the unicorn was being cornered. He bucked the guards in the face but as he turned to his daughter a spear stabbed his bad wing. He crumpled in pain and screamed, as the wing was slowly and painfully ripped open by a viscous upward tug. The guard cackled madly before he brought the spear down on the pegasus's head. Sparkler watched this with wide eyes as the gore spattered everywhere.

* * *

_HOLY HELLS DISCORD! I SAID ONE PONY! THAT'S… YOU HAVE ISSUES!_

* * *

The unicorn screamed and changed forward, impaling the guard in the stomach with her horn. She ripped it out of his body savagely and he fell down dead. She turned to the mutilated corpse of her father and wept. She threw a ripped cape over the body and began to fight in earnest now. Before her father's death she had been fighting but weakly out of fear. She had tasted death now, and knew that these monsters had to be killed. A flash of dark blue caught her eye. _Princess Luna!_ She thought before skidding to halt before the princess.

"Your highness!"

"Subject!" Luna cried turning in a circle.

"Move on Sparkler!" Moon Dancer said angrily. The guards were swarming the princess, trying to overwhelm her. Sparkler fired a spell from her horn. There was a bright flash and a loud bang. She dragged the two shocked ponies to a small building near them. She bared the door and stood with them.

"Well… I never thought this would be my end." Moon Dancer said with a sigh. Sparkler turned to him.

"It's not the end yet."

"It is for me… I'm gonna go out and distract them, then I want you two to run." He said before he picked up his spear in his hooves. "And your highness…"

"Yes bat pony." The alicorn asked. Sparkler looked at her funny.

"Tell princess Luna I loved her." He said before her burst through the ceiling. Their was more thumping before the sounds of battle retreated to normal levels. Sparkler stared at the pony in confusion.

"Princess Luna?"

"No foolish pony." The mare said before she blinked her eyes revealing the green blue eyes that were hers. Sparkler made a shocked noise. Chrysalis rolled her eyes before she turned to the door. Sparkler followed despite knowing that this was not truly her princess. The two burst out from the door and were assaulted by the two guards who still stood outside. They made quick work of them before a shrill laugh filled the air.

"Well, well, well, princess Luna. What a pleasant surprise." The pony said from under her hat. Sparkler rolled her eyes.

"Where have you been Trixie? We could have used your help!" Trixie laughed.

"I've been here." She said with a haughty voice. With a swirl of magic she removed her hat and cape and Sparkler's eyes widened. "Getting these." She finished before he flapped her wings and flew into the air.

"Catch me if you can!" she shrieked. Sparkler watched in awe as the Luna spectre flew into the sky after the mare. Their battle was viscous, each spell willing to kill the other. Soon Chrysalis landed in the middle of a small opening in the guards.

"Run you fool!" she shouted angrily at Sparkler before she closed her eyes. Her horn began to glow a greenish hue and Sparkler didn't need to be told twice. She turned and galloped as fast as she could. From behind her came a great explosion. She turned to see the guards flung into the sky. The unicorn barely dodged the fallen debris. As she walked back to the clearing she could see Chrysalis standing in her usual form. She breathed out a heave sigh before turning to the pink unicorn. "She is dead." Sparkler sighed in relief.

"Good…" the changeling smiled.

"Now we must away, there is still more vermin to slaughter. Come, little pony." She said before the bug like queen reared and entered the fray with vigour. The ponies quivered in fear at the changeling and Sparkler soon followed.

* * *

The ponies darted up the path as quickly as they could. They tried to remain invisible. As they approached the castle gates they were pleased to see that they were empty.

"Bloody convenient that!" the Doctor shouted as they galloped into the streets. They began to walk silently so their hooves wouldn't echo and it was then that the silence rang around them. "This can't be right?" The Doctor said looking about. The streets were deserted, not a soul in sight. "Where is everypony?"

"Hiding." Said a quite voice from beside them. They looked to the right and saw a pony cloaked in a black garb with a blue crown broach. Rarity walked up to the stallion.

"F…Fancy Pants?" she asked incredulously. The stallion pulled off his hood. His coat was grey with dust and dirt, his eyes blood shot and runny. He had no jacket, save for the cloak and his hair was dishevelled and matted.

"Hello Rarity… it has been a while." He was smacked soundly across the face.

"You are a turncoat and a bloody coward," she said stingily. The stallion held his face and sighed heavily.

"You're right, as always."

"Give me one good reason why I should forgive you Fancy?" the stallion smiled.

"Because I am a turncoat and a coward." He said before he looked around and gestured for them to follow him. He led them down into the soiled underbelly of the once glimmering city to where there was a great gate over a massive pipe. "That leads into the Canterlot castle. It's a bit smelly but it's the easiest way in past the guards." The ponies all grimaced but nodded and climbed into the pipe. Rarity stopped before she went in.

"Come on Rarity! Do you want the war to end or not? What's a little…" the cyan pegasus paused and took in her surroundings "on second thought, take your time " Rainbow said grimacing. Rarity shook her head.

"I'm not hesitating, sacrifices must be made, just give me a moment." She stuck her head back into the street. "Fancy darling." The stallion turned to her. She placed a kiss on his swollen cheek. "I'm glad you're a turncoat and a coward and if you live through this, I might just accept your apology." She said before she galloped down the pipe into the darkness. Fancy held his hoof and stared after her a slight smile on his face. The ponies ran down the pipe for quite some time getting lost once or twice. Finally they found a ladder. As the climbed it or rather followed the pegasi as they flew the light above them grew brighter. The grate opened up into the kitchen. One of the maid ponies screamed at that. They tussled her up in the pantry.

"Sorry about that? Precaution you know." the Doctor said before he closed the door. They walked through the halls silently, avoiding the guard as best they could soon the found the throne room and burst through the doors. The sight they found was straight out of one of Doohickey's nightmares. Celestia was in full battle armour. She glared down at the ponies before her.

"The generals leave the ponies I see." She smiled, her lavender eyes flashing evilly "how are you no different from me?"

"The general still stands among her ranks." Twilight said before she turned her head and fired a bright spell out a window, the window of Discords banishment. There was a great green firework that filed the sky. Celestia looked out the windows before her eyes widened in fury. The field below filed with green fire before the see of blue and gold changed to a sea of black and blue. "Changelings!" she cried in fury.

"That's right! And bat ponies! And crystal ponies!" Doohickey said. The white alicorn turned to the filly. "All of Equestria is fighting you tonight Celestia… and you will lose."

"This is but a fly buzzing in my ear! This is nothing! You are nothing!" she cried. Doohickey stuck her nose in the air.

"All my life I have been stepped on by your values! All my life I have seen my parent fall to your cruelty! It ends now! I will never be your slave! Ever!"

"I am your queen!" the alicorn shrieked in fury stomping her hoof before the filly. Doohickey quivered for a second then stood taller.

"NO!" she screamed. Celestia's lavender eyes glazed with fury "My name is Doohickey Donna Whooves!" the filly cried. There were a few gasps from behind her but she ignored them in favour of the white pony before her. "And you're not my true queen!" suddenly the filly was flying through the air. She broke through the windows of the defeat of Nightmare Moon and sunk down below the dark cloud cover of the battle below. The ponies stared in shock. Ditzy went to go and try to catch the little filly when a sound shocked her into inaction.

"What have you done?" Said a deep evil voice. The ponies all turned to Luna. Her eyes were slit like a dragon and burning with fury. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!" she screamed before her hair warped and grew and she began to change. The ponies watched in fear as Nightmare Moon stood before them "YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE CELESTIA!" the white alicorn showed fear for the first time and flew into the sky blasting a hole in the ceiling. Nightmare Moon followed her with anger "COME BACK HERE YOU COWARD!" the too powerful mares flew into the sky trading spells creating a plateau of colours across the darkening sky.

"LUNA!" cried twilight from the throne room below. The black mare turned to the group below and flew down landed before them. The ponies all quivered slightly. "Fear Not My Little Ponies, We Are Still Luna On The Inside." She could see Celestia diving in the corner of her eye. "We Must Do It Now!" she cried before she turned to the descending mare her eyes glowing. The six mares activated the Element of harmony rising into the air. They blasted the rainbow light at Nightmare Moon who caught it on her horn. There was a few seconds where the ponies thought it was too much as Luna's face slackened. But just as the white alicorn landed, the black one threw her head down. The rainbow light shot out of her and slammed into Celestia. She screamed loudly and the throne room exploded violently in a sonic rainboom like light. The rainbow ball of light hurtled into the sky and another explosion rang across Equestria. The black mare stood still before the Doctor spoke one quiet phrase.

"Black queen takes the white queen… check mate." The ponies' heads sunk. Even Nightmare Moon bowed her head. Slowly the sun sank under the horizon. After a few seconds of darkness Nightmare Moon raised the moon and brought out the stars. It was then that the mare's eyes widened.

"Doctor, look." Ditzy said, pointing at the sky. There was a new constellation.

"Pegasus." He said quietly. Then he laughed. "That's why I couldn't get back to earth!"

"What?" Ditzy said shocked.

"Bloody doesn't exist in this time, all I'd ever been doing is space travel, bloody time changed too. " he said with a laugh.

"What have I done?" Luna said quietly before she changed back into herself in a flash and sunk to the ground. "What have I done?" after while she looked up at the constellation and stood again. As she turned to the ponies and they bowed before her. She sighed and walked up to them, bowing lower. "There is no bowing among friends." she said. The ponies looked up "we are all equal here." She turned back to the sky "Tia simply forgot that." She turned back to Twilight "go down to the field and declare the war over. Equestria is at peace once more, there will be no more fighting." Luna said. She raised her head. "Equestria is free."

* * *

A/N: **_Well… Authora has crawled up into her bedroom to cry… that means I did a splendid job. Oh come on, you knew it was coming! They couldn't all be happy at the end, it wouldn't be realistic! It's war! people die! Don't yell at me for it! Yes I killed off Gleaming Chest-plate and yes Wonky Eyes's father is dead but who cares? The story gets integrity now!_**

**_And just so you know, it wasn't my idea to kill off Doohickey, that honour rest with our dear beloved author._**

**_Who is anxiously awaiting your feedback and "reviews"_**

**_Feel free to read that however you like, I'm off to mess with more of Authora's stories…_**

**_WHAT SO YOU MEAN IT'S TRIPLE PASSWORD PROTECTED AND ENCRYPTED? _****Grumble** **_when did she get such a good security program. _**

**_See you next Saturday… _**

**_She took away all my fun… wait! There's a file that's not encrypted._**

**Discord! STOP POKING AROUND MY FOLDERS! AND DON'T FORGET TO TELL THEM ABOUT THE MUFFINS! -Authora**

**Grumble grumble****_ what she said_**


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Lost or The Doctor's Daughter 

A/N: oh man… Discord messed up everything… their was gonna be a happy reunion… And Cadence… oh Cadence, why, Discord, why? Bloody hell. Anyways… this is not the second last chapter; there is one more after this. It's going to be a sad one. Er… well I wouldn't call it sad… more like bittersweet.

Anyways enough of my spoilers.

I have some great news.

Today is Thursday and as you can see I posted a chapter.

I will be doing the same thing tomorrow.

And the final chapter will be posted on Saturday…

Howdya like DEM apples! :D

Onward!

* * *

The Doctor and Ditzy rushed through the ruins of the battlefield looking for Doohickey.

"Doohickey! Doohickey where are you!" Ditzy cried. The Doctor was looking around before he turned and saw Twinkle stepping forward. She had tear tracks on her face. Sparkler was beside her holding something. The Doctor realised with a jolt that it was Morning Dew's Captains hat. The Doctor's hearts skipped a beat as his wife shook her head and sobbed in her mother's arms. The Doctor turned away… he couldn't watch right now. It hurt too much. Later he would help her, like he did when they had thought them all dead before. He walked a bit away until he came to the small grotto where he had hidden the Tardis. He was shocked to see that the door was open. He pushed it opened more and looked down; there was a key on a blue string on the ground of the Tardis.

"I knew it." He said quietly.

"I guess I didn't hide it all that well after all." Doohickey said quiet. The Doctor walked into the Tardis and stared at the little filly. She'd taken her braid out. The wavy hair fell around her ears in curly tumbles. Her bow was on the console draped over the ignition.

"A Tardis blue bow." The Doctor said running the fabric over his hoof.

"My birthday present, I was three." The filly said quietly. The Doctor could see she was weak, favouring her right side and letting her wing sit at an odd angle.

"And the key?" the Doctor asked. Doohickey sighed and looked at him.

"My inheritance." She said. The Doctor felt his stomach plummet "it was the last thing you ever gave me… The Tardis and a key." She said. The Doctor stared.

"But where's your Tardis then?"

"Gone…time paradox." She said. The Doctor nodded

"I see." The filly giggled at the incredulity of it all. The Doctor looked at her.

"You know... I had my suspicions." He said. The filly looked at him.

"Really?"

"Yes, you see the first time you came here I scanned you, precautions, you know, and I picked up three heartbeats. One was easily explained away by Applebloom and her excessive hugging." Doohickey laughed. "But the other two…" he looked at the filly "not to mention you knew more about the Tardis then I did." He paused. He looked around and realised something. "Wait a second… what…" he pointed to the ceiling. It was showing all the recordings of the times Doohickey had stayed on the Tardis with the core. The filly smiled sadly.

"I was feeling lonely, don't need them much now." She said walking up to the Tardis and pushing a few buttons.

"But how?" the Doctor asked. Doohickey laughed.

"You were right of course, I could make the Tardis sing every quarter hour. I'm good with the Tardis. She makes sense… In fact, I'm not just good at it, I love it too!" she said with a smile. The Doctor's eyes widened as a flash shone on Doohickey's flank. He smiled and closed his eyes.

"Is that so…"

"Yeah." Doohickey said before she looked at the Tardis console room again. "This place was a lot of fun."

"It still is isn't it?"

"Doctor… I'm from the future… you understand what that means right?"

"You've come back in time to ensure your existence?" the Doctor asked. Doohickey sighed.

"Doctor… I'm from a future where Luna died at Moonhorn, where you and mama never got married, where everypony died." The Doctor's eyes widened.

"No! No you can't!" he cried before her rushed forwards, but it was too late. The filly was beginning to fade. "Doohickey!" he cried out sadly. Suddenly the filly was enveloped in a golden glow. "Doohickey…Doohickey you're regenerating!" he cried excitedly. Maybe she could stay if she took a different form. The filly stared at her hooves before she closed her eyes.

"Goodbye papa." She whispered before she disappeared in a bright golden flash.

"No! No no no! No this can't be happening!" the Doctor said running around the trying to bring her back, but it was to late, Doohickey was gone. He sank to the floor before a glint of light struck him in the eye. It was Doohickey's key, her inheritance. The Doctor grabbed it and threw it against the wall angrily. There it imploded and he stared at it in shock. He'd just destroy the last memento of his daughter. He put his head in his hooves and sobbed. He walked over to the ignition and realized that he hadn't destroyed the filly's memory forever. There on the lever was his daughter's bow. Tardis blue, crinkled from use but there. He clutched it to his chest and heaved a heavy sigh. "I'm so sorry Doohickey." He sat there on the Tardis floor clutching the bow to his heavy hearts for what seemed like hours, only broken out of his revere by Ditzy.

"Doctor! There you are! Have you found her? Mom hadn't seen her anywhere… Doctor…why are you crying?" she asked slowly. The Doctor held his hoof out in front of him so she could see his precious keepsake. Her eyes straightened and widened before spilling over with tears. Together the mother and father crouched on the floor of their home and mourned their child.

* * *

Rainbow Dash was pulling the chariot at breakneck speeds while the other elements sat in the back on their way to Ponyville. As they passed over the fields of Canterlot Twilight gasped and leaped out of the chariot causing the cyan pegasus to screech to a halt.

"Hey!"

"Sorry Rainbow, I'll be there later okay?" Twilight yelled up at the mare. The pegasus gave a mock salute before she dashed off again. Twilight turned back to the direction she had thought she saw. "FLASH!" she cried out happily before flying into a tight hug around the pegasus. He chuckled weakly and brushed her mane. She withdrew with a frown.

"What's wrong? You sound so sad…" she said. Flash lowered his eyes to the ground and sighed heavily.

"Captain! Princess Cadence is arriving." One crystal guard said. Twilight looked around for Shining only for her face to fall drastically when Flash answered instead.

"Bring his body out…" Flash said gruffly. Twilight's lip quivered.

"No…" she said quietly begging the stallion before her to deny it. He met her gaze and shook his head. Her hoof flew to her mouth and she whimpered. No, no this couldn't be happening… it was all wrong.

"SHINING!" Cadence screamed. Twilight began sobbing as Cadence screamed over Shining's body begging it to come back. Pleading with the gods to bring her lover back. Twilight borrowed her face into Flash's shoulder and shook with sobs. He held her through it all. Finally a voice cut through the scene.

"Cease at once Amore! You are harming yourself with this display!" Chrysalis cried out angrily. Cadence attempted to take shuddering deep breaths while tears still fell. "Besides, you could damage your pupae if you keep sobbing like that." She said with a huff. Twilight gasped.

"Cadence! You're pregnant?!" Cadence shakily stood but her wings drooped and her mane looked lank.

"We… we had intended to celebrate when he… when he came back…" she said as she let more tears drip down her face and cheeks. Twilight whimpered and together the princesses clung to each other sobbing.

* * *

Rainbow Dash landed with a skidding halt before Ponyville.

"The shield is gone!" Rarity cried out in fear.

"Applebloom!" Applejack shouted in fear before she jumped out of the wagon and galloped into the town. As she walked through she could see the town was ravaged and yet. The ponies were mostly all right. Doctor X-Ray was working on several ponies though. "Applebloom!" she called out.

"Applejack!" her little sister cried out from behind her before the two fell into a laughing pile of happy tears.

"Yer alright! Oh thank Luna yer alright!" she said tears running down her face. She held her sister's shoulders. She hugged her again. "Finally Applebloom, it's all done, we can all go back ta Sweet Apple Acres an be a family again." She hadn't noticed that Applebloom was frozen her arms staring at the red stallion above her.

"Eeyup." His deep voice said with a slight waver. Applejack froze too. She didn't dare turn around.

"Big Mac?" she whispered.

"Eeyup." He said with a thick swallow. Applejack put her hoof to her mouth and whimpered before Applebloom and her both turned and hugged the strong stallion.

"I missed ya so much!" Applejack sobbed loudly. Big Mac held them both and let a few tears fall too.

"Eeyup…"

* * *

"Scoots! Scoots where are you!" Rainbow shouted. But not worriedly, she wasn't worried, never. Rainbow Dash didn't worry about anything. She landed and looked a bout the town with a frown. Suddenly she was caught up in a cloud of dust. The blue Pegasus coughed and hacked, flapping her wings to clear the air. "Hey watch where you're going!" she shouted at the vague pony shape before she was tackled out of the cloud by the pony.

"Dash!" Scootaloo cried hugging her honorary sister hard as she could. Rainbow looked down at the filly and laughed.

"Aw come on, ya didn't think I'd leave ya hanging did ya?" she asked before she hugged the filly with a laugh. When she opened her eyes she looked the filly up and down for injuries. She breathed a sigh of relief when she could see none. Then her eyes bugged out. "Scoots… is that… NO WAY! AWESOME!"

* * *

"Sweetie Bell! Darling please answer me! Sweetie bell! SWEETIE!" Rarity cried before running up to the filly on the hospital gurney. "Oh my stars sweetie darling I'm right here? What hurts darling?" Sweetie Bell rolled her eyes.

"It's a sprained hoof Rarity, I tripped while I was moving some rocks, I'm not mortally wounded or anything."

"A sprained hoof?! That is not something to joke about! Doctor X-Ray, where is Nurse Red Heart? Why isn't she tending to my darling Sweetie!?" Rarity demanded angrily. Sweetie coughed.

"Nurse Red Heart isn't here." Sweetie said quietly. Rarity looked at her confused before she covered her mouth with her hoof.

"Oh my… oh dear," Sweetie Bell felt a few tears well up but she angrily wiped them away "oh, Sweetie I'm so sorry." Rarity said holding her sister.

"It was all my fault, I saw what they were about to do, I should have tried and stopped them or…" Rarity silenced her.

"There is nothing you could have done Sweetie. Remember Sweetie, everything happens for a reason." Rarity said before she held her sister tight. The sensitive filly sobbed in her arm and Rarity provided her comfort.

* * *

"DIISSSSSSCCCOOORRRD!" Pinkie cried out loudly before bouncing through the town. Fluttershy followed slowly.

"Maybe he's already gone?" she asked worriedly.

"Don't worry dear Fluttershy, I'm right here." Discord said appearing out of thin air.

"There you are! We need you to help find Doohickey silly! She's stuck!" Pinkie cried. Discord snapped her fingers ands Pinkie's mouth disappeared.

"Discord." Fluttershy said with a warning tone.

"I have a head ache." He said. Pinkie shrugged and bounced forwards looking happy despite missing a mouth. When they rounded a corner Discord pulled Pinkie back by the tail. "Now I'm willing to give your mouth back Pinkie, but you know how much Authora hates spoilers, you wouldn't want to be removed, now would you?" Pinkie shook her head rapidly. "Then keep quiet." Discord said with a glare before snapping his fingers.

"Okay, I'm sorry! It's just I'm really excited!" Pinkie said happily. "I GET TO PLAN A PARTY!" she screamed before dashing away in a pink blur. Discord rolled his eyes.

* * *

"So how many ponies died here?" Applejack asked Discord while she and the group of friends and filly's sat around the Sweet Apple Acre kitchen table. He sighed.

"If this is about that time before I did not leave them to die, I saved as many ponies as I could, some where just stup- I mean… brave… yes, brave." he remedied when Applebloom glared at him. He gave a weak chuckle before he appeared next to Fluttershy for protection. "The mayor was killed because she refused to reveal the location of the ponies in the town, I was with them at the time, so I couldn't do much about that. There was one point where the cutie mark crusaders disappeared and I was running around frantic looking for them." He glared at the three who had the decency to look mollified "when the republic had all but won and were rounding up ponies. That thundering fellow, whatever his name is, was given the choice to leave but he refused sighting something about Rainbow Dash and loyalty according to those around at the time."

"It's Thunderlane an he said that like Rainbow Dash he would always be loyal ta Ponyville." Applebloom said, "Silver Spoon said so."

"Yes yes, then Nurse Red Heart. She refused to leave the patients in the hospital that couldn't be moved. She didn't want to leave them to be slaughtered. So she got slaughtered herself." Discord said with a huff.

"Discord! Be gentle!" Rarity said holding her slightly shaken sister. Discord winced.

"Right. Then there was Carrot Top… she was with us in the beginning making sure that every pony was happy. She was singing some of Pinkie Pie's ridiculous songs to make ponies smile and laugh… when it got real quiet outside she thought perhaps the soldiers had left so she went outside to see what was going on…" he sighed "she never came back down."

"Aw man" Pinkie Pie said her hair deflating further. Discord nodded.

"Also, that Flim pony, he took a spear for his brother."

"He saved Flam's life? Fer nothin? Why?" Applejack asked.

"He said he honestly cared fer his brother more then anythin in the world and that he'd do anythin fer him, even give up his own life." Applebloom said. "I remember him saying that, when we were down in the town hall basement."

"Well I never, one of tha Flim Flam brothers, doin' sumthin honest. Punch me, I must be dreamin'. Ouch! Pinkie what in the hay was that for!?" Applejack asked messaging her foreleg.

"You told me to punch you." she said with a matter of fact tone. Applejack rolled her eyes.

"Now I don't know what happened with the last one, it was chaos everywhere an I may have gotten a teensy tiny bit distracted." Discord said. Rarity paused.

"Wait… you mean you lost our siblings?!" she screeched. Suddenly three angry mares stomped at Discord.

"Well they're alright!" he shouted worriedly. He levitated into the air before Rainbow flew him down. He was backed into a corner and turned to Fluttershy. She was glaring too. "I love you bunny muffin?" he asked quietly. She turned away with a hmph. He gulped and turned back to the mares. " Murder isn't very friendly?" he tried. That made Rarity snort. He said a little prayer and awaited his death.

"Don't hurt him!" Scootaloo cried as the three crusaders defended him.

"It ain't his fault!" Applebloom chorused

"We ran away from him because we saw that Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were in trouble!" Sweetie cried. The mares blinked.

"But why would ya do a dosh garn thing like that? I thought ya didn't like Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon."

"Just because you don't like somepony, doesn't mean you shouldn't help them." Sweetie said matter of factly. The three mares looked at each other.

"An that's what happened to Diamond Tiara." Applebloom said sadly. "She asked the same question. Why'dya help us when we were so mean ta ya? And we answered, and then some guards chased us and we got trapped in a house. Then Diamond… she gave herself up, cause she said she knew what friendship was all about…" Applebloom sniffed "what it truly meant."

"She led the guards away then we got out with some fancy scooting, which is how I got- this!" Scootaloo said showing off her cutie mark. It was a scooter with a pair of wings and speed lines. The group ooo!'d and aww!'d. Applejack ruffled the pegasus's hair.

"Good on ya Scoots, I knew you girls had it in ya, scooting fancy got ya that. Ya little dare devil." The filly laughed. Suddenly a whirling sound rang through the air.

"Doctor!" the three fillies squealed in delight before running out the door. The ponies and draconaques followed. The Doctor was smiling fondly at all the fillies.

"Hello there. How was it, are you alright?" he asked quietly.

"We're great, not a scratch, except Sweetie, her horn was blown out so she had to help move stuff with her hooves. Let it be said that physical labour isn't her special talent."

"Hey! You can't decide what our special talents are just cause you got a cutie mark!" Sweetie Bell said.

"I didn't, I said what wasn't your talent." Scootaloo said. Applebloom laughed.

"You got your cutie mark? Let's see then." The Doctor said with a smile. Scootaloo showed it off and he smiled with a bit of pain in his eyes.

"And how'd you get that then?"

"Well when I was doing all those cool stunts, trying to get away from the guards, I realized that not only do I love doing tricks on my scooter, I'm good at it too." The Doctor winced at that before Ditzy stepped in.

"That's great." She said with a weak smile. The fillies looked at each other and back up at the couple

"Is sumtin the matter? You two seem kinda sad?" Ditzy winced and looked at her hooves.

"Why don't you go back in the house alright, we have to talk with your sisters." the Doctor said. The fillies turned back as the Doctor called over their sisters.

"Do ya think sumthin happened to Doohickey? I didn't see her anywhere." Applebloom whispered worriedly.

"I hope not, she was pretty cool." Scootaloo said sadly. Suddenly all three fillies were picked up by a long red tail.

"Don't worry my little ponies, the author has a soft spot for children, everything will work out in the end." Discord said before he winked and set them down. He followed the mares out of the house Leaving the fillies who really knew more then they should honestly Discord spoilers much to contemplate the very annoying rule breaking and forth wall creating and I should shut up now draconaques's words.

* * *

A/N:

Well…

Discord screwed that one up… and Pinkie… damn it. I can't control those two. They just blahahajdbwebfewfwfeldvc all over my keyboard. L It does not make me happy.

Btw some may have been confused as to why Discord refers to myself as Authora once in a while.

It's my ponysona.;)

I also goes by Cupcakes. Because I'm a background pony ;)

You know, like DJ POM 3 is Vinyl Scratch

Ditzy Doo is Derpy Hooves

Time Turner is Doctor Whooves

Cupcakes is Authora Adventures

Yeah like that.

Next chapter is a jerker. Be sure to tell me your thoughts as well as your favourite muffin type.

One more contest! The first person to tell me the name of the song that Discord is such a fan of throughout the story gets a special sneak peek into my next pony project… :{D

Good Luck.

**And you say I'm cruel**

Shut up Discord! This is all your fault; I'm channeling my inner rage at you revealing my big secret! ):

***Sigh* I can't win**


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter 21

Of Parties, of Stories, of Letters or Smiling Again

The music was smooth. Comforting. It was almost like a lullaby. Twilight smiled a bit as she looked up at the sky. The stars seemed so much more beautiful now. For months the stars had been wavering. Some nights they wouldn't appear at all, Luna's grief so much that even the stars didn't bring her solace. But she was strong and soon the stars did return and they shone out the clearer. Twilight sighed when she thought about grief. Shining Armour's death still shook her sometimes. But every time she looked at her niece she would smile. Shining Heart was the sweetest little filly you could ever meet. But still, she couldn't believe it had been a whole year since the war had ended. So much had happened and yet time seemed slower now. It seemed like just yesterday Twilight had been organizing the rebuilding of Ponyville. And now they were hosting the grand galloping gala here. She sighed and took another sip of her punch.

"Whats wrong sugar cube?" Applejack asked sitting next to her. Twilight smiled.

"Oh nothings wrong, I'm just reminiscing."

"I can't believe it's been a whole years since the war ended." Rarity said with a sigh.

"Exactly." Twilight said.

"Any word from Doc and Ditzy?" Rainbow asked. Twilight's face fell and she shook her head. The ponies around her sighed and stared into their punch cups. When the war was over the Doctor and Ditzy had left to tour the universe. A late honeymoon the Doctor had called it but Twilight had a feeling that they need to get away from all of the memories. No one had been more troubled by Doohickey's death than the Doctor. He was a shadow of his former optimistic self when they left. A stallion cleared his throat behind Twilight, startling her out of her grim thoughts.

"A beautiful mare like you shouldn't be moping at the grand galloping gala, she should be dancing." Flash Sentry said. Twilight smiled and stood up.

"Flash! I thought you couldn't get away from the guard?"

"Luna personally excused me. Said I should be dancing with my super special somepony, not guarding a half abandoned city."

"Trottingham is hardly half abandoned." Rarity said with a huff. Flash shrugged.

"Her words, not mine."

"Indeed." Rarity said with a huff. Twilight excused herself and the couple swept away to the dance floor.

"Rainbow!" Pinkie shouted before crossing the dance floor in a pink blur. She appeared before the pegasus and all but dragged her away "come and dance you silly mare!" Rainbow smiled and followed the exuberant mare. Rarity and Applejack sat and watched as their friends danced by them. When Discord tangoed by with Fluttershy Rarity huffed.

"This isn't fair, I am by far the most eligible mare in Equestria and all my friends have somepony…"

"Hey, I don' have any pony." Applejack said with a smirk "and I do just fine."

"Yes, but you're happy to toil in dirt and mud all day, I am a high society mare, the fact that I don't have a date looks bad." Rarity said with a huff. It was then that a stallion cleared his throat behind her. Rarity turned to see Fancy Pants holding a bouquet of roses. She looked him up and down and took the flowers. "I suppose I've thought about it." She said batting her eyelashes at him. Fancy Pants smiled. "But one more slip up." She began dangerously. He gulped "and I'll remove very delicate parts of your body." Fancy's monocle popped out of his eyes and he nodded very rapidly before he composed himself and led Rarity out onto the dance floor. Applejack sighed.

"Alright, now I am truly alone."

"Why don't you try my new perfume formula!" Flam said appearing beside her.

"I don't what it Flam." She said with a glum expression. That was one thing she hadn't really liked about the war ending. Applebloom had use that darn puppy dog face she couldn't resist to let Flam live with them. It was a very grating experience. The scam pony grumbled and threw the bottle of water and liquid apple peels away. "So, where's your lucky mare, Big Mac said he heard you were takin somepony special." Applejack said with wiggling eyebrows.

"The special _stallion's_" Flam said with a smirk. Applejack sputtered on her punch. "Name is Quick Bit, he's from Manehattan. There he is now!" Flam said before he waved over a yellow pegasus with a light yellow mane.

"You must be Applejack, Flam's been telling me a lot about you." the stallion said with a smile. "Well, shall we?" he asked holding out his arm to Flam. He smiled.

"If you insist." Together the pair waltzed onto the dance floor. Several ponies turned their heads. Rainbow Dash's mouth dropped open and Twilight may have shouted out something very embarrassing. All the while Applejack smiled a bit and sighed. As she did a whirling sound rang out behind her. She could see a flash of light behind the wall and ran around it. Just in time too!

"Ditzy!" she cried. The pegaus smiled and flew to give the mare a big hug.

"Hey Applejack, it's been a while."

"A whole year mores like! So what you two been up to?" she asked Ditzy and the Doctor as they followed her around the wall.

"Oh a bit of this a bit of that. Went to see the Ood, may or may not have stopped a dalek invasion of Equestria." The Doctor said with a laugh.

"Finally got to see muffin planet, and saved the local population from muffin eating cupcakes." Ditzy said with a laugh. Applejack smiled goofy.

"An I still can't understand half of what you two say." She said before leading around the wall corner.

"DITZYYYY!" Pinkie Pie screamed. Suddenly the time travelling pair was enveloped in a tight group hug.

"Hey Ditzy guess what you missed! I got my cutie mark!" Applebloom said victoriously. It was a stature with crossed pen and paintbrush.

"Oh my gosh!" Ditzy said looking at it. "How you get that?"

"I designed a memorial for the ponies who fought in Ponyville an I realised not only do I love designin' and buildin' stuff, I'm good at it too!" Ditzy smiled.

"Is that so." Applebloom nodded and together she and her other two filly friends ran off to dance and play some more. Ditzy smiled a bit sadly as they left.

"Did… was there any sign of her?" Twilight asked in the background. Ditzy's face fell. The Doctor sighed

"No I'm afraid not…" the ponies were all quite for a bit before the doctor shook his head.

"What are we doing moping about? We came here for the party! Come my darling Ditzy, I'll show you a travaligork folk dance."

"Oh dear." Ditzy said before he dragged her away. The ponies laughed before they went back to their partners. The pairs danced for hours. The party was in full swing and now the group plus Octavia, Vinyl, Bon Bon, and Lyra were sitting at a big table and laughing as Ditzy and the Doctor told some of the more funny of their adventures.

"And so we lured all the cupcakes away with some of my giant muffins. Then we put them in big crates and the Doctor found some habitable moon for them to roam on. So now there is a moon some where out there filled with carnivorous cupcakes." Ditzy said. The ponies giggled.

"Yes, I don't know who introduced cupcakes to muffin planet or if it was a mutation but really, the poor muffins. They are a peaceful society, don't believe in violence." The Doctor said before he drank some more punch.

"Perhaps it was an accident, some one went there and accidentally left a cupcake." Bon Bon said. The Doctor shrugged.

"It's possible." Suddenly a loud bang rang through the gala.

"WATCH OUT! MAIL VAN OUT OF CONTROL!" screamed the orange pegasus with red eyes and a blue mane who was driving. He was trying to slam on the brakes but it didn't appear to be working. Twilight flew into the air and used her magic to bring the van to a sudden stop inches from the stage. That's when two earth ponies flew out the back.

"There has to be a better way." The mare with the palomino brown and white coat and brown mane said. She stood up and shook all of the letters out of her mane before straightening her blue glasses and securing her green scarf and blue mailbag. She turned to help up her friend, a light teal mare with blue eyes, pink glasses, and purple hair with lavender tips. Each pony wore an identical brown leather watch that was three hour behind. After making sure her two companions were okay the brown and white mare, who was clearly in a leadership role, looked up at Twilight.

"Princess could you be a dear get our van off the dance floor, over by that wall." She said pointing at the wall that hid the Tardis. Twilight nodded and levitated the van over away from the tables. "Great, thanks a whole bunch! Now I'm looking for a Doctor Whooves! Anyone know a Doctor Whooves? This letter may or may not be a year late. For some reason we kept ending up at muffin planet, because _somepony _doesn't know how to navigate!" she said glaring at the pony who was driving. He blushed.

"I'm sorry Cupcakes, I guess I get all confused by the thrusters." He said. The brown and white mare waved it off.

"It's fine Vanilla I can barely start a car without crashing into things. But maybe Amethyst should drive." The mare who'd been in the back with her shook her head.

"No way, not unless you wanna end up in a hospital bed." The Doctor cleared his throat.

"I am Doctor Whooves."

"Oh!" The mare clearly in charge said with a smile before she dug the letter out of her mailbag. It was covered in ink stamps and pen writing. The clearest stamp was a big red one across the front, which said 'REJECTED: send through inter space-time dimensional personal delivery' "Yeah, the international interstellar-dimensional post office headquarters got it about a year ago, the return address was improbable so they wouldn't send it through wave length."

"Improbable? And when did they finished setting up the post service, I helped start it you know." the Doctor said with a laugh.

"They finished it about 47 years ago in this timeline."

"Ah, so an improbable return address."

"27 Alikiff venue, Urkesher, Miloken, Galiphrey." She recited. The Doctor dropped the letter in shock.

"Gal… Galiphrey? That's not improbable, that's impossible!" he said picking it up quickly.

"No, not impossible, just improbable. It is an inter-temporal, inter-dimensional, inter stellar post office after all." She shrugged and tossed her bag into the back.

"Are we heading out now Cupcakes?" Vanilla Chips asked.

"Not now Vanilla, we need some more provisions, plus I need to talk to some ponies and people before we leave. Amethyst, can you get some apples and food and stuff? Vanilla, please get everything I need to make cupcakes." With that Cupcakes walked over to Discord. She all but dragged him away, causing a few confused stares. He waved them off with a smirk before following the mare with an evil leer.

"It's all right everypony. Lets get back to the party!" Twilight said with a smile. The music started up again and the ponies gathered around the Doctor.

"Well, what's it say, what's it say!" Pinkie screamed. The Doctor stared at it before he took a fortifying breath and opened it. He read a few lines before his eyes bugged out.

"I don't believe it…"

* * *

"Ouch ouch ouch! Don't pull on my ear." Discord shouted angrily.

"You told them my big secret! They've probably already guessed what's in the letter."

"Well won't that make them happy and give you more of those positive reviews which you crave so much." Discord said with a gag. Cupcakes growled and sat down.

"Also, really Discord, a van with no brakes, how am I am I supposed to work with a van without brakes." The draconaques huffed and snapped his fingers.

"There, you have breaks."

"Thank you, now about the inter dimensional holes you like to throw me through," Suddenly the song that Discord loved so much rang out with two notes.

"Hey Discord, where you at man, this ones for you!" Vinyl shouted over the microphone.

"Goodbye Authora, till we meet again." He said with a bow before he disappeared in a flash.

"Aw dammit." Cupcakes said with a groaned and face hoof. She walked back into the party where Vanilla Chips and Amethyst Shore were loading stuff into the van. "Are we ready to go?"

"Yep!" they responded with smiled before Vanilla climbed into the driver's seat and Amethyst climbed into the back. Before Cupcakes could follow some pony grabbed her attention.

"Wait!" the Doctor shouted. Cupcakes smiled and turned to him. "Is… is it true?" he asked. The mare smiled before she looked him in the eye and nodded.

"I promise you, it's one hundred percent authentic." Before she climbed into the back and closed the door.

"So what was in the letter?" Amethyst asked with confused but stragely happy anticipation. Cupcakes just smiled.

"Something to make them all smile again." She responded. With a guzzle and roar the van started up again, and with a whoosh it lifted into the air. The ponies all stood in awe as the van blasted up into the space with a mighty roar. The Doctor stared at the letter with a smile before he laughed and picked Ditzy up whirling her around.

"Come on Ditzy my darling, we've got to get going."

"Wait, we've been gone for a whole year, I saw we should stay for a bit. Just until the gala's over, then you can tell me what's going on and why your so happy." She said with a smile. The Doctor shrugged with a laugh.

"Alright," he said "We've got time."

The End.

* * *

A/N: that's it! It's done! Finished! Over! There's no more!

…

Naw I'm just messing with you

Come on, there's still one lose end that need to be tied up. ;)

Be sure to leave a review and tell me your favourite muffin type. Just one last time.

Aw man… I feel sad only the epilogue is left… :'(


	24. epilogue

Epilogue

Luna's Lullaby

"Alright Ditzy, let me tell you a little something about time!" the Doctor said as he danced with the mare around the console, a huge grin on his face. "Time is tricky! It always is. You think you know exactly what it's got planed, then it slips from your fingers with smoke and you realise you never knew at all." He whirled around like a dervish and ditzy was staring at him with a grin, but she looked horrible confused. "Now, let me tell you something about time lords." He said with a smile "if two of them are around each other enough, their timelines will inevitably cross, quite a bit." Ditzy just laughed.

"I don't even know why your happy Doctor, but you're making me all giddy…"

"Let me tell you about my daughter Ditzy." He said with a nostalgic smile "she was five foot eight inches. Blond. She had blue eyes, just like me. And just like me, she was a time lord."

"Blond?" Ditzy said in confusion. "You showed me a picture of your first wife, you were both brunettes at the time." the Doctor giggled. Which made Ditzy giggle.

"Did I say my, I meant _our_." He said with a broad smile. Ditzy blinked and stared at him in confusion.

"Wh…what?"

"Another thing about time lords." He said with a smile "we're hard to kill." Ditzy stared at him and he sighed. "Alright. But pay attention! So Doohickey was from an alternate future, one where Celestia wins and end of the world and all that rot. So when she changed the past, her future stopped existing. It winked out. But, she had been spending an awful lot of time with me. And since she is a time lord as well her timeline became intertwined with mine. So, when the past was changed and it was her time to go. Time got, for lack of a better term, confused, and sent her to my past, but her future. Because I traveled forwards back in time." he said with a smile. Ditzy's eyes switched places.

"Um… I am so confused right now. So you went back in time, but it's your future… so we have to go back to the future?" the Doctor threw his head back and laughed.

"Stop it Ditzy, you're infringing on copyright laws." Ditzy heaved an exasperated sigh.

"I married you, and yet I still don't understand half of what you say." The Doctor whipped around the Tardis console and nuzzled their noses together.

"Love you too my darling." He pulled the lever and the Tardis whirled, lights flashing, then the Tardis shuddered and quaked. The Doctor groaned. "Come on old girl, I know you love good old peaceful Equestria but I need you to leave!" he said pushing the lever again. The engine whined and part of the console burst into a flurry of sparks. "Another thing about our daughter. She's bloody tenacious!" the Doctor shouted. Ditzy was flying around trying not to crash into things.

"What is going on Doctor?!" Ditzy screamed out. The Doctor laughed merrily

"Lyra is going to be SOOOOO jealous!" he shouted before laughing again.

* * *

Twilight and Flash left together for Canterlot. Flash was due for the changing of the guard and Twilight wanted to talk to the princess. When she arrived to the castle she stopped in the hall of history to take in the new window. It showed the constellation Celestia above Luna and all of her friends in a circle. In the centre of the circle was Doohickey, her eyes closed and wings spread. around her neck was a key. Twilight had never asked the significance but the Doctor had insisted that she have a key around her neck. She looked at the window and sigh.

"You miss her as I do." Luna said from the other end of the hall. Twilight sighed and turned to the approaching alicorn.

"Yes, she was so strong." Twilight said.

"Stronger than all of us." Luna said with a sigh. "I would not be so brave to shout at Celestia in her madness. Or hold myself back before an army. Or plan a whole attack against a city far more powerful then I. She was an inspiration. And for that, I am glad that I knew her. I do not think I will ever meet another filly quite like her."

"No, there's no way, she was one of a kind… special." Twilight said with a sigh. Luna nodded. She looked at Twilight.

"I sense that you are still unhappy about your brother's death." Luna said. Twilight sighed.

"I am… it's just… I can't wrap my brain around it, he's gone and he's never coming back." Twilight said with a slight sob. Luna looked at her and sighed.

"I cannot pretend to understand what that feels like.' She looked up at the constellation that was her sister frozen in time "I banished my sister to the stars, but I know she will come back someday, perhaps in one hundred years, perhaps in a thousand, but she will return someday." Luna said. Twilight let a few tears fall at those words. "We must remember to stay strong young Twilight. There are many who would cruelly use those tears as a weakness."

"Yes princess Luna." Twilight said wiping her tears away. Luna faltered. She smiled and slowly lowered the young alicorns hoof.

"That does not mean you should not feel my little pony. Mourn your brother, for he was a great stallion. But do not let your sadness cloud your judgement. There are times when you must forget your pain and act." Luna said staring at the window of her defeat as nightmare moon. Twilight nodded.

"I understand." Luna looked at her and smiled.

"Go to Flash Sentry, tell him to return with you, you both deserve a break." Twilight smiled.

"Thank you Luna." She said before galloping away. As she did Luna's smile weakened and she turned from the hall. She walked through the empty halls with a growing weariness until she came to her balcony. She looked over her kingdom and resisted the urge to sigh.

_Fate has been cruel and order unkind_

Luna sang quietly putting every ounce of magic she had into it.

_How can I have sent you away? The blame was my own, the punishment yours, the harmony silent tonight. _

Her horn glowed brightly now, he eyes closed with effort

_but into the stillness I'll sing you a song and I will your company keep. Till your tired eyes and my lullabies, have carried you softly to sleep. _

With that she opened her eyes and the world was consumed in a bright white light. She appeared in the plain of memories as Celestia had called it. A place where one was shown the truth of their life. A place of growth and healing. Slowly her memories of her and her sister came before her. Some sad, some happy. Most were joyous only growing darker as the two sisters grew. Luna picked one out of the flurry.

_Once did a pony who shone like the sun look out on her kingdom and sigh. She smiled and said surely there is no pony so lovely and so well beloved as I _

she let that memory float away and picked a new one. It was one of a court held a year before the war broke out. Celestia was angry with the peasant for bringing a measly problem such as a few parasprites to court when he could solve the problem with a trumpet or three.

_So great was her reign, so brilliant her glory, that long was the shadow she cast. Which fell dark upon the young ponies she loved, and grew only darker as days and nights passed. _

She pushed all memories aside and focused on the memories of her stars, making the Celestia constellation shine brighter.

_Lulay sun princess, goodnight sister mine. Rest now starlight's embrace. Beareth my lullaby winds of the earth, through cloud and through time and through space. Carry the peace and the coolness of night and carry my sorrow in kind, Tia I loved you as long as I could forgive me for being so blind. _

Luna turned from the image of stars and drew forth another memory, one of the days leading up to her banishment when she watched somepony being dragged away to the disused dungeon.

_Soon did that pony take notice that others were hurt by her sister's harsh ways. But still she did nothing she brushed it aside, she watched as her peoples unhappiness grew. _

She drew forth the memory of her banishment and nearly wept.

_But such is the way of denial it sweetly takes hold of the mind of its host. And that foolish pony did nothing to stop the destruction of one who had needed her most. _

Luna thought of the stars again but of watching them with her sister. She watched one of her happy memories. Where she and Tia watched the stars. He turned to look Celestia in the eyes and sang her next verse

l_ulay sun princess goodnight sister mine, rest now starlight's embrace, beareth my lullaby winds of the earth through cloud and through time and through space. Carry the peace and the coolness of night and carry my sorrows in kind, Tia I loved you as long as I could, may troubles be far from your mind._

Luna's voice quivered as a few tears fell

_and forgive me for being so blind. _

With that the memory was replaced with the one of Celestia's banishment. With a light of her horn Luna's was on the balcony again. She looked up at her sister and swore she could see the trapped princess's eye glimmer. She took a deep fortifying breath.

_The years now before us, fearful and unknown. I never imagined, I'd face them on my own. _

She looked up as her sister and sighed.

_May these thousand summers, brightly pass I pray. I love you; I miss you, all these miles away. _

She bowed her head and let a tear fall. She didn't see the shooting star whip downwards across the sky like a tear from the sun princess herself.

_May all your dreams be sweet, tonight, safe upon your bed of starlight, and know not of sadness, pain, or fear. And when you dream you'll fly away and meet me here..._

_Sleep_.

The blond woman leaned back, an ethereal lullaby drifting through her ears, lulling her to sleep.

_Sleep._

Her eyes slowly drifted shut. With a slight smile, dreaming of her parents.

_Sleep._

She yawn and slowly drifted to dream world.

Until a whirling sound woke her.

And she jerked awake, a wide smile on her face.

"Hello Doctor." She said when the door open. "I don't know if you remember me, my aunt named me Jenny, but really, I prefer the other one."

* * *

"And so mother, daughter, and father embraced each other in that other space and went forth to a grand new adventure… the end." Celestia said before closing the book with her magic.

"OH COME ON!" one colt in the group of five little unicorn foals cried out.

"tha can't be the ending pwincess celesthia! It juss can't!" a filly cried out. The white alicorn laughed.

"I'm afraid it is little ones, and now it is time for sleep." She said leading the fillies and colts out of the reading room.

"can you read us another storry tomorrow pwincess?"

"Certainly marigold, I would love to."

"Another by her?" the unicorn asked, weakly levitating the picture of the author in front of the princess. Celestia smiled.

"I think I have just the story." She said before levitating down another book. It had a picture of princess Twilight on the cover with king sombre.  
"Oo! Does princess Twilight battle king Sombra to the death?" one of the colts asked excitedly. Celestia laughed.

"No, she tames him, with the powers of friendship and love."

"eewwwww!" the foals said with a gag. Celestia chuckled before she continued leading the fillies away.

"What's the mares name pwincess?" marigold asked holding the picture up again. Celestia smiled before putting the book away.

"Her name is Authora Adventures. But she likes to be called Cupcakes." Celestia said with a wink. Marigold sat on her bed with wide eyes until Celestia turned out the lights.

"Cool!" the filly said before she snuggled into her bed. Celestia walked through the halls a smile on her face before she appeared beside her sister on the balcony.

"Which story did you read them tonight Celestia?"

"The One True Queen."

"Hopefully not the parts about the war." Luna asked with a side-glance.

"Oh I left out the battles, little foals don't need to be traumatized after all."

"What do you plan to read them next?" Luna asked.

"I'm think Fallout Equestria: Rogue." Celestia said with a straight face. Luna stared at her horror struck and Celestia broke out into a laugh. "I jest!" Luna snorted.

"I should hope so… may I suggest you read The Pony and The Monster." Celestia frowned.

"I haven't heard of that one."

"It's new, it will be on book store shelves tomorrow." Luan said with a sigh. Celestia laughed.

"How does your steward get any work done if she spends all her time writing books Luna?"

"She doesn't." Luna said with a grumble. Celestia laughed, its melodious sound carrying long into the night, and miles away a fevered author held up the cover of her next book and looked up at you and winked.

* * *

THE FRICKEN END!

:D :D :D :D :D

A/N:

AWMYGAWD!

HOW MANY PEOPLE SCREAMED AND HAD A FANGASAM MOMENT!

ESPECIALLY YOU WHOOVIANS!

Yes! So much happiness!

Just so you know, that was cannon on day one, when I started writing this. I was all like 'Doohickey seems super one-dimensional, how can I make her more interesting. GASP! I can make her a time lord! GAASSSSPPP! JENNY IS BLOND AND A TIME LORD AND A WAR VETERAN! Flufflepuff gasp! Falls on floor and spasms'

Anyways, thank you everyone for enjoying it along with me. And now for acknowledgements:

Thank you to CannedCream and Sweetiebloom for doing that excellent Youtube video which started these whole shenanigans.

Thank you to RandomGuyonthestreet13 for taking up my challenge and my dear friend booknerd00 for dealing with my shenanigans, helping with the story and joining me on a crazy adventure

NO THANK YOU to Discord for being so annoying. But it's okay… I forgive you.

And last but certainly not least thank you to princess Luna for turning a blind eye and letting me write while I should be filling out tedious paper work. You're the best. :p

Oh, and thank you oh goddess Lauren Fausticorn. **bows**

As for a sequel… nope. Sorry folks, you think up what they do together, I've got other projects to write. Like The Pony and The Monster, Obsidian Shadows, Fallout Equestria: Rogue, and Beautiful Nightmares.

Yes folks that's right, every book Celestia and Luna talked about is an actually book I'm writing….

Which will be on here eventually.

I hope.

Someday.

Ha haha… **blush**

See you then ;p

-Authora Adventures :p


End file.
